


The Forest of Horrors 2

by Aurora1994



Series: The Forest of Horrors [2]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Additional tag on notes, Alternate Universe, Attacks by animals, Character Death, F/F, Genetic Experiment on Humans and Animals, Humans and Animals whit Genetic Modification, Lycantrhopy, Multi, Supernatural - Freeform, Tag could by update
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-08-20 14:33:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 36
Words: 41,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16557572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurora1994/pseuds/Aurora1994
Summary: Let's see what happened to the survivors of Nevesplendida.The nightmare is over or that was just the beginning of the end?Will they get out alive again or this time the danger is too big?Will Nicole, Waverly, Doc, Wynonna and others to survive, even, in this trial. Who commissioned the expedition and why?The group will seek answers, while new and old threats are in ambush.This is the second part of -The Forest of Horrors-, if you haven't read the first part, I need to tell you that you will hardly understand this, then read the first part.If you are among those who have already read it, well, make yourself comfortable, the nightmare begins.





	1. A new beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Here I am... Yes, it's me again xD
> 
> Okay, first of all thank you for being here, I received a lot of support for the first part of this, thank you very much! 
> 
> Usual, I apologize for my English, although improved, a little bit, I think xD
> 
> Well, remember to leave your thoughts and let's start!

**1**

 

Nicole could not explain why, but she had the feeling that something was about to happen. Something that would not bring about anything good.  
Her body was still painful and battered, but soon, her extraordinary genetics would allow her to heal definitively.  
What would she have done now? Was it really over? No, Nicole knew that from such a story, you never get out of it at all.  
And Waverly? Would Waverly have accepted her real nature? Nicole didn't know, she didn't remember much, after the appearance of her father, her mind was obscured by anger and pain.  
Nicole looked at the young woman who slept with her head resting on the bed, next to Nicole, she shook her hand, strong, as if a part of her was awake and conscious, and did not want to risk losing Nicole.  
The woman smiled, grateful for that affection never felt before, but would that really have been enough? It was a desperate situation, Waverly wasn't lucid, none of them were lucid.  
Was Nicole ready to let Waverly go if she wanted to? No, but he would have let her go, anyway.  
\- Knock, knock. - Wynonna appeared in the room.  
\- Hey... - Nicole whispered, smiling at her.  
\- How are you? - She asked while sitting next to Waverly, in the empty chair.  
\- I don't know, confused, I think. You should take her somewhere else, she has to eat and sleep in a real bed. - She said looking at Waverly.  
\- I tried, but she won't leave you, she's afraid someone will hurt you, it didn't help to tell her that this is a hospital. - Wynonna replied.  
Nicole smiled.  
\- How is Henry? -  
\- He's already recovering, he's a strong man, now he'll have to give some information. When you get better, you will also have to answer some questions. -  
Nicole stiffened herself violently.  
Wynonna noticed the change in the woman. - Is everything okay? -  
Nicole remained rigid, - what type of questions? -  
\- Nothing too serious, you're just a civil, a witness, like Waverly. -  
Nicole began to relax.  
\- What's going on, Nicole? - Wynonna asked and looked at her with attention.  
\- There are questions, which have answers that are too complicated, sometimes even incomprehensible. - She answered.  
\- I don't understand. -  
\- One day you'll understand, Wynonna, maybe one day. - Nicole wasn't sure how to deal with Wynonna, she was sure that Waverly hadn't told her anything yet, but maybe, sooner or later, the truth would come out, and at that point? Was she supposed to be the one to tell her? Maybe, maybe instead, no one should have known, maybe she could convince Waverly that what she had seen was not real. But how?  
\- Nicole? - Waverly's sleepy voice tore her out of her thoughts.  
\- I'm here. - Nicole replied, with her thumb she began to caress the hand of Waverly, who was still shaking her.  
\- How are you? - She asked, rubbing her eyes with her free hand.  
\- I'm okay, are you okay? - Nicole asked, smiling at her.  
\- Yes, where is Wynonna? -  
\- I'm here, silly. - Wynonna said, giving her a flick on the arm.  
\- Sorry, I'm a little confused. - Waverly said, putting her hand in front of her mouth while she was yawning.  
\- You should rest in a decent place. - Nicole said.  
Waverly looked around, then noticed that her hand was still shaking Nicole's. - Sorry! - She said, snapping her hand away.  
Nicole looked at her confusedly, but said nothing.  
Wynonna didn't see or pretend not to notice the scene. - Can I get you some coffee? -  
\- Not for me, no, I'm going for a walk, I have to stretch my legs. - She said, standing up without looking at anyone.  
\- For you, Nicole? -  
Nicole shook her head, - no, thanks. - Right, and nutrition? How would she have done now? Fortunately, the tube, which gave her nourishment, contained only basic substances.  
She had to find a solution.  
\- Nicole, you're really weird, what's bothering you? -  
\- What's bothering me? Nothing. - She smiled.  
\- Is it because of what happened in the forest? -  
\- What happened in the forest? -  
\- Don't worry, we'll talk when you get better. - Wynonna briefly touched Nicole's hand, smiled at her and walked out of the room.  
Nicole followed the woman with her gaze, she wondered, if after discovering the truth, she would smile at her again. And Waverly? Why had she taken her hand away from her? Was she embarrassed by her sister's presence? Maybe.

 

-<>-<>-

 

\- Waverly? - Wynonna approached her sister, she stood in front of the coffee machine, motionless, staring at the empty space.  
\- We should tell her that the two guys she had gone to look for are still alive. - She said without moving.  
\- Sara and John are in a protection program, for now we are not allowed to divulge news about them. - Wynonna answered by shaking her head.  
\- Yes, I know, but she is in those conditions because she went to save them. She saved us all, Wynonna. -  
\- I know, baby, but we have to respect the rules. By the way, you still haven't told me what happened, why we found Nicole naked, for example. -  
Waverly stiffened up and looked away. - I don't want to talk about it yet, sorry, Nona. -  
\- Okay, if the situation hadn't been desperate, I'd have almost thought you and Nicole, uh! You know what I mean? - Wynonna tried to joke about it.  
\- Nicole and I are friends, that's all. I think. - Waverly said, not knowing what to think about herself and Nicole.  
\- Of course, that's what I do too, with all my friends. - She said, winking at her.  
\- You're a little girl, Wynonna, a little girl in a woman's body. - Waverly smiled.  
\- And what a woman! - Wynonna had a laugh, happy to have distracted Waverly, at least for a moment.  
\- You idiot. - Waverly smiled hugging her sister.  
\- It's going to be all right, right, Nona? - Waverly asked, breathing in the familiar and comforting smell of her older sister.  
\- It's gonna be all right, Waves. - She said, caressing her hair.

 


	2. At home, that sounds good.

**2**

 

Nicole tried to sleep, but she felt restless, the feeling of danger did not leave her.  
She thought it was because of the arrival of the full moon, this element influences the tides, the living beings, even the humans: they are all more nervous, with the full moon. But for her, a genetically modified being, this was a much greater problem, not only would she be more nervous, she would no longer be herself. She had to get out of the hospital as soon as possible and stay away from the humans, especially the humans she was beginning to love.  
Nicole looked through the window glass of her room: the sky was covered, but, she could clearly distinguish the moonlight, behind the clouds, she had few time, too few time.  
\- Shit. - She said to herself.  
\- What is it, Nicole? -  
The woman was so immersed in her thoughts that she hadn't smelled Wynonna and hadn't even noticed her presence.  
\- What are you still doing here? It's late night. -  
\- I have a feeling, I can't explain. Do you ever get it? - Wynonna asked while sitting next to Nicole's bed.  
\- Yes, often in truth. - She answered sincerely, but decided to omit the fact that she had it even at that moment.  
\- Perhaps what happened to NeveSplendida upset me more than I can admit. - The raven-haired woman confessed.  
\- Where is Waverly? - She asked ignoring voluntarily the reference to the city.  
\- At home, I managed to convince her in the end. - She said smiling.  
\- So you live nearby. Where are we? - Nicole asked disoriented.  
\- Purgatory, I know, the name is not at all reassuring, but just like purgatory, it's a quiet, almost boring place. -  
\- Who would ever think to call a city, Purgatory? - Nicole asked amused.  
\- The founder, a woman named Emily and her husband, B. Smith. A singular couple. - Wynonna smiled.  
\- Oh, okay. - Nicole was puzzled.  
\- And you? You who have called a city: splendid snow. -  
\- What's wrong with it? It's appropriate. - Nicole smiled, even though she didn't like the fact that she had to keep talking about that place.   
\- I would have called her Hell. As I understand it, the scientist, that madman, is all his work, thank you very much, asshole! - Wynonna said raising her eyes to the ceiling.  
Nicole felt the discomfort increasing.  
\- Nicole, there's something wrong with you. -  
Nicole stiffened up and her hand shaken the sheet. - Something wrong? - She whispered.  
\- Yes, you seem sad and worried, do you want to talk about what happened? -  
\- Not now, no, I still don't feel able to do it. -  
\- Okay, I won't force you. I wanted to tell you that, when you have regained your strength, you can come to our house, if it is not a problem for you, we live outside the city in an old farm without animals. - The woman smiled.  
\- That would be wonderful, thank you, but I don't know if I can accept. - Nicole remained rigid, she understood that the woman was trying to tell her something, no, better, to ask her something.  
\- Are you kidding? It's the least we can do for you, you saved us all, Nicole. - The woman with the ravenous hair smiled.  
\- Not all of us. - She whispered.  
Wynonna barely held back from revealing that the two boys were still alive. - You did a lot, Nicole, a lot, for all of us. - She smiled at her.  
\- I'm going to resign tomorrow morning, as soon as the sun comes up. - Said the red-haired woman.  
\- What? But you're not healed yet. -  
\- Wynonna, I know my body, very well, it's just pain, and not even that strong. -  
\- Nicole, I realized that you are... uhm... different, somehow, but... no, you're right, the body is yours and you're an adult. Tomorrow morning I'll pick you up and we'll go home. - She gave up.

_At home, that sounds good._

\- Thank you, Wynonna. Thank you so much. -  
\- Now I'm going, I'll see you tomorrow morning, then. - She smiled, before leaving she stopped at the door, seemed undecided.  
\- Good night, Nicole. - She finally said, walking out of the room.  
\- Good night. - Nicole said.

 

-<>-<>-

 

\- I brought you some clothes. - Wynonna said as she entered Nicole's room, but the woman was not alone: a man with dark skin, very tall and muscular held a small notebook in his hand and stared at Nicole, she was sitting on the bed and did not seem to appreciate the presence of the man.  
\- I'm sorry, I'll be back later. - Wynonna said, turning around to get out.  
\- No problem, Madam, I was leaving. - Said the man turning towards her.  
\- I'll be back, Nicole Haught. Don't leave the city. - The man said, it probably wasn't, but it seemed like a threat.  
\- Madam. - The man said goodbye, with a nod of his head, and went out.  
Wynonna waited a few seconds, - cute boy. Oh, right, maybe not for you. - Wynonna winked at Nicole, but the woman was not looking at her, she had a confused expression, perhaps, even angry.  
\- Nicole? - She asked as she approached. - Who was he? -  
\- Someone from the government, if I understand that, thank you for your clothes. -  
\- Right, I'm sorry I interrupted you. -  
\- I don't mind at all. - Nicole answered.  
\- Okay... uhm, I don't know if they can fit you, but I think we have about the same size. - She said giving Nicole a shirt and a pair of jeans. - Maybe they'll be a little short, you know, I'm a lot shorter than you. -  
\- They say that: the good wine, is in the small barrel. - Nicole smiled, trying not to think about man.   
\- Who says so? - Wynonna seemed amused.  
\- I read it in a book, it was by an Italian author, I liked the phrase. - Nicole said.  
\- I like you red. Anyway, I didn't bring you a jacket because I noticed that you don't like them, but if you want, I can give you mine. -  
\- That's very kind, Wynonna, but it's really perfect. -  
\- I'll let you change, have you signed everything? -  
\- Yes, everything is ready. -  
\- Great, I'll wait for you out here, okay? -  
\- Thank you. -  
The woman smiled and came out.

 


	3. Earp House

**3**

 

Nicole came out of the room: she was wearing the clothes that Wynonna had brought her.  
Wynonna looked at her with a clinical eye, - if we ignore the eye patch, naked ankles and hospital slippers, well, I'd say you're a fairy tale. - She commented with an amused smile.  
\- Don't make fun of me. - Nicole said, crossing her arms to her chest.  
\- I'm serious. - She said, with a resolute expression.  
\- All right, thanks, for everything. - She said, uncomfortable.  
Something happened in Wynonna's brain, something that should have happened before. - You have nothing left... - She said as her voice broke.  
\- I have my own life, I have you and apparently a place to stay. It's much more than I had before. - Nicole said with a hint of bitterness in her voice.  
Tears were stinging on Wynonna's eyes. - I'm sorry, I behaved superficially with you. -  
\- It's not like that, you're giving me a chance and I, well, I don't know if I deserve it. -  
\- Come here, empty head. - She said hugging Nicole.  
\- Yeah, well, that nickname was beginning to be missing. - She said, in return for Wynonna's hug, the woman smiled on Nicole's chest.  
Nicole smelled Wynonna's smell, very similar to Waverly's and her mind went back to the kiss Waverly had given her when she woke up, why now her behavior seemed so contradictory?  
\- Can we go? - Wynonna asked and broke away from her.  
Nicole nodded trying to drive away those thoughts.

-<>-<>-

 

Wynonna was driving a blue pik-up, the vehicle had certainly seen better times, it was rather shabby and, observing Wynonna's driving, Nicole understood the reason.  
\- Nicole? -  
The red-haired woman looked away from the landscape and looked at the woman.  
\- You're not a danger for Waverly, right? - She asked, keeping her eyes fixed on the road.  
\- You're changing your mind, I understand. - Nicole said lowering her head.  
\- I'm not changing my mind, I just want to be sure of what I'm doing. -  
\- I don't want to hurt Waverly, or you, or any of you. -  
\- But? -  
\- But, you ask me this question for a specific reason, you are not afraid that I might break her heart, you are afraid that I might break some bone or worse, kill her. And I understand your fear. -  
\- I've seen you do things that I can't explain to myself, but I'll never forget, understand? Never, that you saved all of us, that you almost died looking for those two guys, even there you didn't even know, and yet without hesitation you returned to that forest of horrors. -  
\- Wynonna, I promise you, before I hurt any of you, I will kill myself. -  
\- Okay, that's enough for now, but one day, one day, I'd like you to trust me and tell me the truth. -  
\- Is it that important? . .  
\- No, it's not, but at the same time, it is. -  
\- I trust you, that's not the problem. -  
\- What is it, then? -  
\- Me. I, I've always been the problem. -  
The rest of the trip was spent in silence.  
Nicole watched the houses turn into trees. And the alleys change into snowy prairies.

The van stopped in an open space of beaten earth, free from the snow.  
\- Here we are, this is home. - Wynonna said coming down from the pik-up.  
Nicole stood still for a few seconds, looking at the old dark wood house.  
It was a magnificent place, surrounded by forest and prairie, this was positive, very positive.  
Wynonna opened the door for Nicole, the woman's face had returned smiling. - Do you want a hand to get off? -  
\- No, thank you, this place is beautiful. - She said, with sincere admiration.  
\- I'm glad you like it, not everyone thinks so. But, despite its somewhat old-fashioned appearance, it offers all the advantages of a normal home. - Wynonna smiled, happy that Nicole appreciated the house.  
\- We're going inside, not you, but I'm getting my butt frozen. - Wynonna said, tapping her feet on the ground to warm herself up.  
Nicole nodded and followed the woman to the porch.

\- We're home! - Said Wynonna opening the door.  
The interior of the house looked like a fanatic of the old West, decorations and furniture were in country style.  
Sitting on the sofa next to Henry sat Waverly.  
Nicole bent her head as a sign of respect, - permit? -  
\- Come on, Miss Nicole, I hope you can excuse me if I don't get up and say hello, I left my crutches in the kitchen and my leg is all plastered, as you can see. - The cowboy made a friendly smile.  
\- No problem, Mr. Holliday. -  
\- Call me Henry or Doc, I can't let the woman who carried me in her arms as a newborn call me Mr. - The man smiled.  
\- Thank you, Henry. -  
Wynonna and Waverly exchanged a amused gaze.  
\- You're the usual distracted, Doc. - Wynonna said as she approached Henry and kissed his lips.  
\- Waverly, show Nicole where she can get settled in, I make coffee. -  
\- I can sleep in the barn, it's no problem for me. - Nicole said without looking at anyone.  
\- Bullshit, I won't let you sleep in the barn. I can't give you a bedroom all to yourself, but Waverly's room is large. -  
\- Come on. - Waverly said, standing up and inviting Nicole to follow her.  
The woman nodded to the newlyweds and followed Waverly up the stairs.

\- Permit? - Nicole said, stopping by the door.  
\- You don't have to ask permission to walk around the house. - Waverly said as she walked in.  
Waverly's room was pretty large: there was a large bed, a small sofa and a storage room, and a soft-looking carpet on the floor.  
\- Come on, make yourself comfortable, - said Waverly inviting the woman to sit on the sofa next to her.  
Nicole hesitated a few moments, then walked to the little sofa and sat down next to Waverly.  
\- I still haven't thanked you for keeping your promise. -  
\- What promise? - Waverly asked.  
\- To get me out of that place. - Nicole answered by looking her in the eye.  
\- Are you kidding me? - Waverly said, amused.  
\- No, I'm serious. You also protected my secret. -  
Waverly moved uncomfortably.  
\- If you don't want me here, - continued Nicole, - I'll understand. -  
\- Of course I want you here! I mean, if you want it too. - She said, blushing.  
\- Are you scared of me? -  
Waverly studied Nicole's thin and severe face, her eyes stopped on the bandage that still covered her left eye. They still didn't know what conditions the eye was in.  
\- Does it hurt? - She asked, touching Nicole's face, just under the bandage.  
\- Why don't you answer my question? -  
\- First answer to mine. -  
\- I feel that the skin is pulled and swollen, but I feel no pain. - Nicole gave up.  
\- I'm not afraid of you, Nicole. - Waverly leaned against Nicole's shoulder and, the warmth of the woman's body, enveloped her.

 

 

 


	4. What is mine

**4**

 

The aroma of the coffee spread throughout the room, so fragrant.  
Everyone was sitting at the kitchen table.  
\- Thank you. - Nicole said while Wynonna was serving her a cup of coffee.  
Nicole looked at the dark liquid in her cup, the scent was really good, but, Nicole knew that as soon as the liquid touched her tongue, that delicious drink would turn into something disgusting.  
\- I can't give myself peace. - Doc said. - We still haven't figured out who sent us to that hell. -  
\- Yeah, if I find the person responsible, I'll tear him apart. - Wynonna said, blowing away the steam from her coffee.  
\- Guys, maybe it's not time to talk about this. - Waverly said while observing Nicole.  
\- Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're here with us, but someone has set us up a trap and we don't know who's behind it. - Wynonna said, smiling at Nicole.  
\- Then I'll take Nicole to town, she has to find suitable clothes. - Waverly said.  
\- By the way, I don't have money, not even documents, I can't pay my expenses. - Nicole said, bending her head down.  
\- Are you kidding? You are our guest, you don't have to think about anything, we'll think about getting you new documents later and if you want, but only if you want, we'll find you a job. - Wynonna smiled.  
\- My wife is right, Miss Nicole, you are our very welcome guest. - Added Doc with a smile.  
\- I don't know how to thank you. - Nicole said, uncomfortable with all that kindness.  
\- You saved us, Nicole, we will never forget this. - Wynonna said.  
Waverly and Henry nodded.  
\- Thank you. -

\- You haven't touched your coffee, don't you like it? - Waverly asked going up the old blue Pik-up.  
\- My body doesn't accept that kind of substance. - Nicole replied without thinking.  
\- Oh... um, so what does your body accept? - The scientist who was in her was waking up.  
Nicole was rigid, aware that she had to deal with a delicate subject.  
\- I can drink milk, for example. - She said trying to fix it.  
\- Everyone likes milk. - Waverly agreed. - And what else? -  
\- I don't think you'd like to know. -  
\- I have to know, otherwise how do I feed you, no, in the sense, not like a dog, you're not a pet... oh boy! I'm terrible with words. - Waverly said uncomfortable.  
\- And what am I? - Nicole asked looking at her, her face was so serious, that look could have terrified anyone, but not Waverly. She was just afraid of hurting her.  
\- You are Nicole. - She whispered, turning on the engine.  
\- What do you remember, what did you see in that clearing? - Nicole kept staring at her, the pupil of her right eye was very dilated to compensate for the absence of her left eye.  
\- I saw that giant black being, and I saw you.... - she said, setting the back march.  
\- Are you sure about what you saw? - Nicole's eye kept staring at her.  
\- Yes, I know what I saw. - Waverly said as she left the property.  
\- You should be afraid of me. -  
\- Nicole, I don't know why you do this, but, I have to tell you, I don't feel comfortable. -  
A smothered growl came from Nicole.  
Waverly turned to look at her, confused.  
\- Sorry, forgive me, please. - Nicole looked away.  
She felt that the full moon was near.  
\- It's okay, I wasn't nice. -  
\- You didn't do anything wrong. I'm really sorry. -  
\- It's okay, Nicole. -  
The journey to the city was silent.

Waverly and Nicole entered a small shop at the beginning of the city.  
\- Purgatory only has this shop, there is not much choice. - Said Waverly entering.  
\- I think it's perfect. - Nicole answered looking around, there was a bit of everything in there, from groceries to work tools.  
\- Take everything you need, don't have any problems. - Waverly said.  
\- Thank you. -

\- Waverly Earp, back in town. - Said a male voice behind them.  
\- Hello, Tom. - Waverly said by turning against her will.  
A nice looking and elegant guy approached the girl. - This place was so empty without you. -  
\- Yeah, I guess, now I'm sorry, but I have work to do. - She said turning around.  
Nicole stood by and stared suspiciously at the newcomer.  
\- Wait. Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend? - He asked by grabbing Waverly's arm.  
\- Let me go, Tom, it's not the right day. -  
\- Come on, can't you give me a kiss? -  
Nicole approached the boy, she was much taller than him and overpowered him. - She told you to let her go. - Nicole said in a low and menacing tone.  
\- Uh, what a fear! And who is this? Your giant bodyguard? - He said without letting go.  
\- Let go, Tom, I'm serious. - Waverly said, fearing a too violent reaction from Nicole.  
\- You heard her, let her go, if you make me repeat it a third time, I assure you that I will no longer be so courteous. -  
\- I'm saying this for your own good, let me go now, or you hurt yourself. -  
Tom tightened his grip on Waverly's arm, provocative. - Really? I do what I want, and it's not going to be a slut and a red-haired pirate that stops me. - She laughed.  
\- That's enough. - Nicole growled loudly and grabbed the arm of him holding Waverly's and squeezed.  
The boy whistled with pain. - What the hell! Let me go, bitch! -  
Nicole increased her grip, - leave or I'll break your arm. - She threatened.  
\- Fuck you! - Tom threw a punch on Nicole's stomach, the woman seemed not to have even feel it, while the boy portrayed his aching hand, as if he had hit a brick wall and not meat.  
\- Are you kidding me? - He whined.  
Nicole still tightened her grip, - go away. -  
The boy screamed with pain, - all right, I'm leaving! - He whined again.  
Nicole let go of the grip.  
\- Monster. - Tom said before ran away.  
\- What's going on here? - An old man appeared from behind a shelf.  
- Itìs okay. Buck, it was just Tom. - Waverly said.  
The man nodded and disappeared again, as if his name explained everything.  
\- Thank you, Nicole. -  
- He disgusts me. - Growled Nicole.  
\- Now calm down, did he hurt you? - She asked by resting her hand on the spot where Nicole had been hit.  
Nicole had a shiver on contact. - He didn't do anything to me. -  
\- I like it, you know? You are all so kind, polite and caring with us, but when someone threatens us, you become so aggressive and scary. -  
Nicole looked at her, she didn't know what to say, - I protect everything that is mine, it's part of my instinct. - She answered in the end.  
\- Am I yours? - Waverly asked, blushing.  
\- Yes, you are mine, and you are my family now, I will not let anyone hurt you. - She said with a serious expression.  
\- I think he was really lucky. - Waverly said changing the subject.  
\- You have no idea. - Nicole answered, with a sneer.

Nicole had insisted on taking only three shirts, two pairs of jeans and lingerie. She preferred boxers to panties: Waverly discovered.  
\- Thanks for everything, as soon as I can, I'll pay back my debt. - Nicole said, putting the bags with the clothes between her feet.  
\- We've already talked about it, it's okay, Nicole. - Waverly started the engine and they headed for the farm.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of you!


	5. The eye of the beast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the last two days, I have problems with my internet connection, it happens, when you live in the middle of nothing xD  
> So if it happens that I don't publish for a few days, you know why.  
> Thank you for being here!

**5**

 

Nicole and Waverly were in their rooms, the sun had just set.  
\- You chose a shirt like the one you had when I met you. - Waverly said, touching the red and black fabric.  
\- It was my favorite. - Nicole said, feeling her body shivering under the touch of Waverly.  
\- I'd like to see you again. - Waverly whispered, focusing her attention on the shirt.  
\- I'm here. - Said Nicole, confused.  
\- No, I mean, I'd like to see you in that form again. -  
Nicole began to retreat, - what? Why should you? -  
\- Because I think you're very beautiful, even in that form. - She answered, without looking at her.  
Nicole growled loudly, - it's the appearance of a monster, of a raped and wrong creature! -  
\- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I know you suffered a lot, I wasn't thinking, I spoke without thinking. - Waverly said by looking at her.  
Nicole kept growling. - I need to get out. - She said as she walked towards the door.  
\- Nicole! -  
But the woman was already coming down the stairs.

  
-<>-<>-

 

Nicole went out into the fresh evening air, she felt her anger grow inside her, violent.  
The memory of what she had suffered, tormented her, still hurt too much.  
Nicole entered the barn and began to undress, she felt that she could no longer maintain her human form.  
She growled, as she fell on her knees, and held back the fall with her hands, her eye shone blue.  
The feeling that her body was starting to boil from the inside enveloped her completely.  
The bones and tendons broke and lengthened, the red hair became a mane and began to cover her body. Her teeth grew and stretched, becoming fangs, her hands and feet turned into paws and her nails became sharp claws.  
The red wolf ran into the night as the moon shone in the sky.

 

-<>-<>-

 

Waverly looked over the window glass, just in time, to see the huge wolf running into the woods.  
She felt guilty, she didn't want to hurt Nicole.  
She didn't know how to act with her: Nicole seemed to reciprocate her feelings, but, perhaps it was almost an obligatory choice, Waverly didn't want to force Nicole to be close to her. But maybe she was having too many inutual problems, Nicole had told her clearly that she was hers, whatever she meant.  
Waverly waited for hours, but Nicole didn't come back, eventually surrendered to fatigue and fell asleep with a restless heart.

Waverly woke up when a ray of sunshine hit her face: she hadn't closed her curtains the night before.  
Her first thought was for Nicole, she looked in the bed, but there was no one next to her.  
Finally she saw her: Nicole was sleeping on the small sofa, giving her back.  
Waverly stood still, observing Nicole's body moving slowly while she breathed.  
She wondered what she had done, during the night and when she had returned.  
Nicole moved in her sleep, turning towards her.  
The band, which covered her head, was torn, revealing what it was hiding: a huge scar crossed Nicole's eye, it started from the hairline and ended on her cheekbone, it was almost as wide as her eye.  
The young woman looked at the sign, on Nicole's beautiful face, and she felt sad, very sad.  
Maybe she had to find something to cover Nicole's eye, before it met the light, there was a risk that it would damage it, if the eye was still there.  
She moved slowly, but the springs of the bed betrayed her movement.  
Nicole opened both eyes and stared at her.  
\- Shit... - Waverly stared at Nicole in turn, then captured a very important detail.  
\- Nicole, your eye. - Waverly said with a trembling voice.  
The woman didn't move and kept staring at her, like in a trans.  
Waverly didn't know how to react to what she saw.  
\- What's wrong with my eye? - Nicole asked as she came out of the tranny, but she kept staring at her.  
\- Can you see with your left eye? -  
Nicole brought her hand and touched her scar, - it must be pretty bad to see, right? But we knew it would happen. -  
\- It's not that. -  
\- What then? -  
\- Your eye is blue. - She said, in the end.  
Nicole looked at her as if they didn't speak the same language. She jumped up and ran to the mirror next to the bed.  
\- Shit... - She whispered looking at the huge sign and the blue color of her eye. - Shit. - She said again.  
\- Nicole...? -  
\- Oh, shit. - Nicole continued.  
\- I, um, I don't know... why is it that color? -  
\- I think the healing was too demanding, maybe I had lost my eye, it was replaced. - She said, continuing to stare at her reflection.  
\- Will it stay that way? I mean, so brilliant? -  
Nicole growled at her reflection, - fuck. -  
\- You're very sexy. -  
\- What!? - Nicole turned slowly towards Waverly.  
\- Sorry, that's the first thing that came to mind. - She said, turning red, she absolutely had to take a conversation course.  
Nicole stared at her for a few seconds, she had an indecipherable expression. Eventually, to Waverly's surprise, Nicole burst out laughing.  
\- Wh-Why are you laughing? You cursed until a second ago. - Waverly said, confused by the woman's reaction.  
\- You're right, but you're so funny. - Nicole said, continuing to smile.  
\- Well, I'd say you took it better than expected. - Said Waverly crossing her legs.  
\- If it doesn't bother you, I think it'll be fine for me too, even if, having the eye of my beast form, it won't be something easy to handle. - She said by sitting on the bed next to Waverly.  
\- I think you're a bit bipolar, Nicole. -  
\- Maybe, then, give me a scientific explanation, for this. - She said, pointing to her eye.  
\- What? -  
\- Yeah, you know, something credible to say to Wynonna and Henry. -  
\- Right, um, give me a second. - Waverly said, observing the eye more carefully: it was really very beautiful and brilliant, but there was no Nicole, in that blue water well, there was the wolf, Waverly could see it clearly, it was like that of a human being, but, at the same time, it was not at all.  
\- Um, I would say that the trauma caused a loss of melanin. -  
\- I'm not sure I understand, but it sounds good. - Nicole commented.  
\- It's the substance that makes the eyes, more or less, dark, for example I have little of it, I have green eyes, while people like Wynonna, with blue eyes, are practically devoid of that substance. - Waverly explained.  
\- Okay, that makes sense. And the shine? -  
\- That's the real problem, I don't know, we can invent some kind of eye drops that react with the chemistry of the eye. -  
\- Is that believable? -  
\- Not for someone who has any idea of science, but for them it'll be fine. -  
\- Okay, thank you. - She said, standing up.  
\- Where are you going? -  
\- For breakfast, I'd like a cup of milk, would you come? -  
Waverly looked at her in disorientation. - You're acting really weird, Nicole, really weird. - She said, reaching out to the woman.

Actually, Nicole was suffering: now, everything she tried to hide was obvious, and there was no way to hide it. She wouldn't show her emotions, she had seen it the night before, her suffering and her anger, they hurt Waverly and she didn't want to hurt her.


	6. The right thing

**6**

 

When Waverly and Nicole went down to the kitchen, they realized that, even though the sun had just risen, Wynonna and Henry were not at home.   
They had left a note:

"We'll be back before nightfall,   
\- Wyn and Doc."

\- Where he went. Doc, with his leg reduced like that? - Waverly thought, out loud.  
\- Don't worry, I'm sure they're fine. - Nicole said by taking the note from Waverly's hands.  
The red-haired woman studied Wynonna's handwriting: hasty and messy, it looked like it was written by a worried hand, it wasn't a good sign.  
Nicole kept her thoughts to herself.  
\- I'll get you some milk. - Wavelly said, headed for the fridge.  
\- Thank you. - Nicole said as she sat down.

When Waverly was also sitting at the table, Nicole decided it was time to talk about something very important:  
\- Waverly, I need to talk to you about something. -  
The younger woman diverted attention from her cup of coffee and focused on Nicole, trying to look at her human eye.  
\- I'm listening. -  
\- There's gonna be a full moon tonight, right? -  
\- Yes, it is. - She replied, beginning to intuit something, but left it to Nicole to explain.  
\- Okay, you know what I am. -  
\- I know who you are, yes. -  
\- The full moon lasts about two days, in these two days I can not stay here. -  
\- Why? I guess you'll turn. -  
\- I am, but with a full moon, I'm different. -  
\- What do you mean, different? - Waverly asked, looking at her intensely, she had to almost pull out the information, Nicole gave details like a drop counter.  
Nicole paused and looked carefully at Waverly's face.  
\- My human conscience vanishes completely, I'm out of control, I'm dangerous. -  
\- Are you dangerous for yourself too? - Waverly asked, worried.  
\- No, I don't think so, the only thing I think about is eating. -  
\- Okay. You told me that because I have to make up an excuse for Wynonna? -  
\- Also, but I wanted you to know, as soon as the sun goes down I'll leave, I'll leave the city as far as I can, so I can't hurt anyone. And I'm telling you this, because I couldn't disappear without telling you anything, I was afraid you'd come looking for me. - Nicole said.  
\- Thank you. -  
\- For what? -  
\- I don't know, for trusting me, I think. - Waverly said, extending her hand to take Nicole's.  
\- Wow, that's hot! - Waverly exclaimed to the contact.  
\- Sorry. - Nicole said, beginning to portray the hand, but Waverly shaken it harder. - All right, I'm cold. -  
The feeling that something was about to happen became stronger and stronger for Nicole.  
\- What is it, Nicole? - Waverly asked, noting Nicole's change.  
The red-haired woman left Waverly's hand and stood up.  
Waverly looked at her, confused, but said nothing.  
Nicole went around the table and put herself behind Waverly, leaning over her as she hugged her.  
\- My warm blanket, on a stormy night. - Waverly whispered, after overcoming the confusion.  
\- No one will hurt you. - Nicole said, kissing Waverly's hair.  
Waverly squeezed Nicole's warm forearms harder, it was so beautiful and reassuring to be in her arms.

 

  
-<>-<>-

 

\- Waverly! Nicole! - Wynonna shouted as soon as she entered the house.  
The two women rushed down the stairs.  
\- Wynonna! What's going on? Why are you screaming?! - Waverly asked as she went down the last few steps.  
\- They're picking up Nicole. - Wynonna said, unable to look at anyone.  
\- What!? Who? Why? - Waverly asked as her heart accelerated.  
\- They want to take you back to Nevesplendida, for the government you are a threat to humans, the alternative is death. - Wynonna said, addressing Nicole directly.  
The red-haired woman said nothing, stood still, looked calm.  
\- You don't say anything?! - Waverly screamed.  
\- What am I supposed to say? - Nicole said.  
\- You can't remain impassive, I won't let them take you away. - Said the young woman with tears threatening to fall.  
\- How did they discover it? - Nicole asked as Henry entered the house.  
\- I don't know, I don't know what they found and I don't know why you're a threat. - Wynonna admitted, bowing her head.  
\- Wynonna, we're not going to let them take Nicole away, right? - Waverly asked, with her voice breaking.  
\- If we do that, we'll die. - Henry said, sincerely sorry.  
\- No one will die for me. - Nicole sentenced.  
\- What? No! There has to be a way! - Waverly shouted.  
\- It's okay, it was nice, really nice, staying with you, and I can never thank you enough, for everything you did for me. - Nicole said.  
\- Why are you so surrendering? I don't recognize you! - Waverly said looking her in the eyes.  
\- That's okay, no one will die for me. - Nicole said again.  
\- What's wrong with your eye? - Wynonna asked.  
\- It's proof that I can't stay here. - Nicole said as she began to walk towards the door.  
\- Where the hell are you going? - Waverly asked, chasing Nicole.  
\- I'm going to wait for them to pick me up, I don't like goodbye. - Nicole said grabbing the door handle.  
\- NO! - Waverly screamed, grabbing Nicole from behind, wrapping her hips with her arms, and clenched as if she were clinging to her life.  
\- Don't make things even sadder. Please, let me go. - Nicole said, sweetly.  
\- I'm sorry, Nicole, I swear if I knew how to do it, I would not allow all this. - Wynonna said.  
\- You're doing what I'm trying to do: protect your family, you'll never have to apologize for it. - Nicole said.  
\- Run away, Nicole, run away, please. I will find you. - Waverly begged by increasing her grip, to the point that her muscles began to shake from the effort.  
\- I can't, you know. They would hurt you. I'm sorry to cause this suffering, I'm really sorry, but you don't have to be sad for me. I'll be fine and one day, maybe, we'll see each other again. - With a very quick jump, Nicole slipped out of Waverly's arms and grabbed her by the shoulders.   
\- How? - Waverly was stunned by the woman's lightning-fast movement.  
\- Don't be sad for me. - Nicole said, bending down to kiss Waverly's lips.  
The girl caught Nicole's lower lip and began to cry.  
In a moment Nicole was behind Waverly, she hit the nape of the youngest woman and grabbed her in her arms as her senseless body slid down.  
\- Take care of her. - Nicole said, resting Waverly's body on the ground, gently.  
\- Nicole... -  
\- It's the right thing to do. Don't come looking for me, don't do it, one day I'll come back, I'll try, if you still want to see me. -  
\- I'm so sorry, Miss Nicole. - Henry said bowing his head.  
Wynonna began to cry, - you will always be welcome in this house. - She approached to embrace Nicole.   
At that moment, the sound of a car, entering in the property.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm in trouble.


	7. Full moon - Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have lost count of how many attempts I have already made to publish and correct this chapter, so I decided to split it into two parts, for the moment my connection works, I hope this is the right time.  
> I want to remind you that any feed back is very appreciated, good or bad, right or wrong, whatever you want to tell me, I'm happy to read it.
> 
> Thank you <3

**7**

 

Nicole felt that the adrenaline was flowing through her body in huge quantities, her senses amplified and her right eye managed to have almost the same power as her left eye: she could see the drop of sweat that was about to form on Henry's forehead, she could clearly distinguish the three hearts in the room: Waverly's heart was beating more slowly. She could even hear the breaths of people who were in the car, outside, on the property, they didn't speak; but she clearly distinguished the scurrying of clothes and the noise of their weapons, someone typed something on a computer keyboard.  
She was getting ready to say goodbye to Waverly, when Wynonna had called and the sun had set. She had to hurry, there was no more time. Her maximum power would have been reached when the moon had been in the middle of the sky, then, neither men nor machines could have stopped her: she would have been invincible.  
\- Nicole, your body... it burns. - Wynonna said, melting the embrace. It was almost painful to be in contact with her skin: Wynonna's right cheek, which had been in contact with Nicole's, was burning, just like when you take something from the oven, without gloves.  
The full moon began to affect her DNA by awakening cells and chemical processes within her body.  
\- Please don't go out, stay in the house. - Nicole said as her voice got lower and deeper: it didn't sound like her anymore.  
\- What's going on? - Asked Wynonna, the woman in front of her, suddenly she didn't seem to be the same Nicole she had been in front of until a minute earlier.  
\- Do as I say! - Nicole growled: it was a real and deep snarl, like that of a ferocious beast.  
Instinctively, Doc, approached his wife, feeling something dangerous, coming from Nicole.  
\- Okay, but please, take care of yourself. - Wynonna said, touching Nicole's arm.  
Nicole was about to leave, when she got stuck. The woman began to unbutton her shirt and took it off, remaining only with a black tank top. - The smell allows us to re-live something intensely, allows us, if we want, not to forget. - She said, in a voice that was no longer her own.  
Nicole knelt in front of Waverly and put her red and black shirt under her head, stroked her hair and looked at her for a few moments.  
\- Goodbye, my friends. - She said as got up.  
\- Nicole... - Wynonna stepped up to Nicole, but the woman was closing the door behind her. - We love you... forgive us if you can. - She whispered.

Nicole went out in the evening, on the horizon there was still the last light of sun, while, on the opposite side, another light: the moon.  
 _I love you too._  
Nicole looked towards the van that was parked in the courtyard, the headlights prevented her from seeing inside, but she did not need to see: she heard everything.  
The doors opened and three men dressed in black and armed with large rifles came down, pointing their weapons at her.  
A boy dressed as a scientist and a man with dark skin, whom Nicole had met at the hospital, also got out of the car.  
\- Speciality agent Xavier Dolls. Nicole Haught, you are invited to follow us without resistance, if you try to fight: you will die. - Said the man.  
Nicole slowly approached them, her hands raised.  
\- Very well. - The man said, approving the collaborative behavior of the woman.  
Nicole hoped that they would do it quickly, she began to feel pain: her human part was fighting against the beast.  
\- You will be taken back to the City of Nevesplendida, where you will be subjected to some checks, it is the only place, where, a creature like you, can be kept. Outside of that region, you're considered too dangerous for humans and animals. - He said, without moving.  
Nicole began to sweat, felt that soon she would lose control. - Quickly... - She crouched, trying to stay lucid.  
The man nodded to the three armed men, they began to advance toward Nicole, slowly, ready to shoot.   
Nicole felt a sharp pain in her chest and fell, growling, on her knees. - Quickly! - She said again, with an unnatural voice, she tried to think clearly, but she could not: she had to tell them that they had to immobilize her and make her harmless, but the words, simply, did not reach her mouth.  
The pain was very strong, every cell of her body seemed enveloped in flames, and more she opposed the transformation, more the pain became strong.  
Nicole screamed with pain, she was going crazy.  
\- Silver! - She cried, with the last bit of human consciousness. Then she gave up: she could no longer fight, the last rational thought went to those who were inside the house, she prayed with all her heart that they would stay inside.

From the kitchen window, Wynonna and Henry saw Nicole turn into a huge red wolf.  
\- Misery! It's the wolf I saw in the forest... - Henry said, breathless.  
Wynonna couldn't say a word, she couldn't believe her eyes, a part of her: the biggest part, totally rejected the thought.  
Henry left one of his crutches and put his arm around his wife's shoulders: Wynonna was trembling, perhaps with fear, perhaps with anger, he couldn't say it.  
\- She has always been... - But Wynonna could not finish the sentence, in the courtyard, hell broke out.

The red wolf howled to the sky.  
\- Alpha code! - Shouted Dolls, as he pulled a strange gun out of his belt.  
The wolf looked at the humans in front of it, showing its sharp, dripping fangs of saliva, it seemed to have a sadistic and amused gaze.  
Nicole had lied: her only thought was not to eat, it was to kill.


	8. Full moon - Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are scenes of violence that could disturb someone, such as death and mutilation.

**8**

 

The wolf growled loudly and began to run towards the three gunmen.  
\- Fire! - One of them screamed, taking aim at Nicole.  
But the bullets bounced off the wolf's fur.  
\- Cease fire! - Dolls screamed as he tried to aim at the beast: there was a risk that the bullets would hit someone, bouncing uncontrollably.  
The wolf pointed towards one of the three men, they had split up and realized they were easy targets.  
Dolls knew he had to hit the beast, but he couldn't kill it and he couldn't even risk hurting one of his men. The situation had taken a turn he didn't expect, why wasn't he warned that the woman could lose control? According to his information the red-haired woman could control at her choice, the form to take.  
The man who had been chosen as a prey ran at maximum speed, but was completely useless: the wolf was much faster than him, if it hadn't caught him yet, probably because it was playing to cat with the mouse.  
\- You have to bring the charge to 75%, otherwise it will kill us all! - Screamed the boy dressed as a scientist, he had hidden under the van.  
\- Dolls, Sir! - One of the men screamed as he watched the chase, he didn't know what to do.  
\- Keep calm! - Ordered the man and began to handle with the strange gun he had in his hand, - Jeremi damn it! You should have given me this information first. -   
The wolf got tired of playing, increased its speed and when it was a few meters from its prey jumped, an incredibly high and long jump.  
The man screamed crushed by the weight of the wolf, the blow had broken several bones and was now suffocating under the weight of the beast.  
\- Damn it, Perez! - The two companions began to run in the direction of their companion on the ground.  
The wolf grabbed the man's head between the fangs and effortlessly separated it from the rest of the body.

Wynonna screamed of horror, she could not believe that she had witnessed the death of a human being, a violent and cruel death, a useless death.  
\- Don't look. - Henry said, squeezing his arm around his wife's shoulders.  
In war you see many things that no one should ever see, but that was not a war camp and the enemy was their friend Nicole, who without hesitation had taken the life of another human being.  
\- Why? - Wynonna screamed, unable to accept what she was seeing. - Stop!!! - She screamed, as Nicole left the body and focused on the next victim.

From the wolf came a kind of snarl that looked like laughter.  
\- Take cover! That one attacks again! - Dolls shouted.  
The wolf looked at the man with the dark skin, but after smelling the air, he decided it wasn't interesting.  
One man had begun to run, looking for a refuge, pointed towards the door of the house, while the other man remained motionless, unable to take his eyes off the lifeless body of his companion.  
The wolf ignored the still man and began to chase the running man: a running prey is more interesting than a still one.  
Nicole reached the man, he was a few meters from the porch, grabbed an arm of the man and with a movement of the head threw him several meters away.  
The man landed screaming and started running again, while his right arm hung helplessly.  
The wolf gave him a few seconds of advantage, then began to chase him, it was clear that it was playing.  
\- Damn it! - Dolls began to hit the gun in his hand.  
\- How much longer? What's the percentage? - Asked the boy, who had closed his eyes when the wolf had begun to attack.  
\- It's 35%! -  
\- It's not even enough to tickle it! At 75% perhaps it will go beyond the epidermis. -  
\- My men are dying! Damn it! -  
\- It shouldn't have gone like this, it doesn't make any sense! Nicole Haught shouldn't have attacked humans. -  
\- Why is she doing this?! -  
\- I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with the full moon. -  
\- What? Is it possible that... - But Dolls' questions were intercepted by the screams of the man that Nicole was chasing and now clutching between her fangs.  
\- Please!!! Let me go, damn it!!!! Heeeelp me!!! - The man cried trying to free himself, but the more he got agitated, more the fangs penetrated the flesh and torn it.  
Nicole let go of her grip, but only to pierce the man's throat and tear away his carotid artery.

Waverly regained consciousness, her head turned and she was nauseous.  
It took her a few seconds to tidy up her ideas, then she remembered everything.  
\- Nicole! - She said as she got up. On the ground she noticed Nicole's shirt, she couldn't understand.  
At that moment, she heard heartrending screams coming from the courtyard, she was about to open the door when Wynonna and Henry left the kitchen. - Stop! - They cried in chorus.  
\- What the hell is going on out there? Where's Nicole!? -  
The Wynonna and Henry exchanged a look full of unspoken things.  
\- Where's Nicole?! - Asked Waverly again, continuing to hear screams.  
\- She's out there, she's the cause of all this. - Henry said bowing his head.  
\- What do you mean? - Waverly felt her heart beating too hard in her chest.  
\- Nicole is the red wolf, she... she is... - But Wynonna couldn't go on.  
\- She's transformed... I have to stop her! - Waverly shouted, suddenly she knew what was going on.  
The girl opened the door and ran outside before her sister could stop her.

The wolf killed the third man, he had done nothing to escape or defend himself: paralyzed by fear and horror.  
\- Nicole! Stop it! - Waverly screamed as she ran out, chased by Wynonna who cried out to her to stop.  
Waverly only needed a few seconds to notice the blood that attached the courtyard, her stomach turned, but she resisted focusing on Nicole.  
\- Nicole! Damn it! That's enough! - She screamed as she approached the wolf, and the wolf looked at her with curiosity.  
Wynonna tried to chase her sister, but Henry stopped her.  
\- You've gone mad, let me go! - Wynonna screamed trying to free herself.  
\- We are now out in the open, if we start to run and shake, we will be attacked, move slowly. - Henry said, thinking.  
Wynonna had to use all her self-control to start walking behind Waverly, she was getting closer to Nicole.  
\- Stay back! - Dolls shouted, he needed a few minutes to realize what was going on.  
The wolf growled and began to trot towards Waverly, the girl stood still, she was afraid, so afraid, but running was the stupidest thing she could do at that moment.  
The wolf was just a few meters away from her.  
\- Damn it... - Wynonna sighed and got stuck.  
The wolf slowed down the race, showing its fangs.  
\- Now stop, Nicole. - Waverly said, extending her arm towards Nicole's fangs, an absolutely crazy gesture.  
The wolf did not bite Waverly's hand, sniffed it, then without warning jumped, landing on Waverly.  
Everyone shouted in horror.  
\- Nicole! - Waverly exclaimed, as the wolf smelled her and began to lick her face like a dog.  
\- What the hell!? - Everyone present, including Jeremi, who had reopened his eyes, was incredulous: the bloody beast now played like a puppy.  
Everyone stared at the scene unable to move and breathed slowly, as if they were afraid to break the magic.  
Waverly began to caress the blood-stained fur, while the wolf continued to lick her face, waving the tail.  
Dolls diverted his attention from the scene and looked at the monitor of the gun: 77%.  
The man took aim and fired.  
The wolf howled with pain when a syringe was planted in the thigh, a few moments later, fell to the ground next to Waverly. The girl didn't understand what was going on and as she watched Nicole, returning human, she saw the dark-skinned man approaching them.  
\- What did you do to her? - Waverly whispered looking at the needle still stuck in Nicole's naked skin.  
\- She's just sleeping, I promise. - Said the man bending over Nicole.  
\- Waverly! - Wynonna ran to her sister kneeling down and hugging her hard.  
\- She's not bad, she couldn't control herself... she couldn't... - Waverly whispered, beginning to cry.  
Around them there was blood and suffering.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love is chemistry, chemistry moves the world.  
> Cit. - I.


	9. Full moon - Part 3

**9**

 

\- Help me get her in the van. - Dolls said, addressing the guy who was finally coming out from under the truck.  
\- Wait! - Wynonna stood up and stood between Nicole and the man. - Let me dress her up, I won't let you touch her naked body, you won't humiliate her like that! -  
\- Are you serious? Around here are three torn bodies, bodies of sons, brothers, fathers and husbands, who will no longer see their loved ones and they will no longer see them, and all you can think about is covering up the person responsible for this carnage? - Dolls took a step towards Wynonna, looking her right in the eye.  
\- The fault is yours, if you had left her alone, she would have run away, she would have done it not to hurt anyone, your hands are as dirty with blood as her own! - Waverly shouted in tears.  
\- You knew it!? - Dolls screamed furiously, even Wynonna turned to look at her sister.  
\- And do you know why she didn't attack you? - She shouted again, Dolls, approaching Waverly threateningly.  
\- Stay away from my sister! - Wynonna pushed the man away, - you too were ignored by her, how do you explain this?! - Wynonna shouted, becoming more and more aggressive and protective.  
\- This is none of your business. -  
\- She didn't attack me because... because I'm her. - Waverly answered by looking at Nicole.  
\- What? - All those present asked.- Guys, please, let's try to talk. - The boy said, he was trying not to look at the bodies on the ground or at Nicole's naked body.  
\- Stay in your place. - Dolls said.  
\- No. Let them, she's a woman, we can't touch her against her will, especially because we're two men and she's unconscious and naked. - Jeremi said, continuing to advance.  
\- Thank you. - Wynonna said, while studying the boy.  
\- All right, you won, but the monsters don't deserve this treatment. - Dolls said, moving away a few steps.  
\- The only monster here is you! - Waverly yelled, angry.  
\- Before I leave, I need you to tell me things, it's for her safety and ours. - Jeremi said as he approached Waverly.  
The girl nodded, deciding to trust that kind boy.  
\- As I take away the bodies, - said Dolls pointing to the corpses, - you cover her and if you try to make her escape, I will find you and I will kill you all. - Threatened Dolls.  
\- I stay with them, they won't do anything. - Said Jeremi.  
Dolls looked at him for a few seconds, - the threat is also valid for you, and you know I'm not kidding. -  
The boy nodded vehemently, perfectly aware that that was the truth.

  
-<>-<>-

 

Dolls had loaded all the bodies and their parts into the back of the van.  
Throwing one last glance at the group he moved away from the property.  
He was headed for an isolated spot, where he incinerated the bodies: no one could have known about their deaths except his direct superiors. He didn't like the idea, but that was the politics of the Black Badge.

  
-<>-<>-

 

Waverly and Wynonna brought Nicole's body into the house after removing the syringe from her thigh.  
After washing, dressing and putting Nicole on the couch, everyone gathered in the living room.  
\- What was in that syringe, what did you inject into her? - Wynonna asked.  
\- Liquid silver, we know it's the only thing that can stop... umh... those like her. - Said Jeremi.  
\- How did you know about her? - She asked Waverly stroking Nicole's hair.  
\- I can't answer that. -  
\- What do you want from her? - Waverly continued.  
\- I can't answer that. -  
\- Who are you? - She asked again, determined not to give up.  
\- I can't answer that. - He said for the third time.  
\- Are you going to respond so to everything? - Wynonna asked threateningly.  
\- I'm sorry, but I really can't, now I have to ask some questions, if I may? -  
\- What do you want to know? - Wynonna asked.  
\- I think I'll talk to the girl, she seems to know more things, no offense. - Said Jeremi.  
\- What do you want to know? - Waverly asked, repeating her sister's question.  
\- Has her ever lost control, like tonight? -  
\- I haven't known her in a long time, maybe a week, and no, from what I know, no. -  
\- But you said you wanted to leave, so you wouldn't hurt anyone, so she knew there was a chance she would lose control? -  
\- From what I understand, it happens when there's a full moon, she can't control herself. -  
\- Why did she have parties for you, like a dog, and just before she massacred, for fun, everyone she met? -  
\- I already answered this: I am hers, she chose us as her family, something to protect. -  
\- About what things? I mean, if she's not self-aware anymore, how did she recognize you? -  
\- How do animals communicate with each other, recognize their friends from the enemy? With sounds, with smell. It's a matter of chemistry. - Waverly said.  
\- You're a, I don't know, what are you? -  
\- I'm a researcher, animal behavior is part of my expertise. - Waverly answered, without stopping to touch Nicole's hair.  
\- The full moon lasts two, three days... - he said, thinking out loud.  
Nicole began to fidget in her sleep.  
\- What happens to her? - Wynonna asked, as Jeremi moved away, terrified that she might wake up.  
\- Nicole, it's me, it's okay. - Waverly whispered, while Nicole was getting more and more agitated.  
\- Let's take her out, if she turns the house she will hurt herself and us. - Doc said.  
Wynonna and Waverly looked at each other nodding.  
They took Nicole, who was still wiggling, and they took her to the porch.

Doll returned to the property of the Earps; he noticed that they were all outside and on the ground, there was the woman wiggling like a rage.

\- What's going on? - Dolls asked as he was getting out of the van.   
\- I'm not sure, but I think it's because the moon is getting higher and higher in the sky. - Jeremi replied by moving away from Nicole.  
\- Another dose? -  
\- No, it would kill her, - Jeremi replied to Dolls.  
\- I'll take a risk, - Dolls replied as Nicole woke up.  
\- NO! - Waverly screamed, putting herself between Nicole and Dolls.  
\- Move or I'll move you. - Threatened Dolls.- Watch how you talk to my sister! - Wynonna intervened.  
\- Get out of the way! - Dolls shouted, who had noticed Nicole's awakening, and pushed Waverly away, causing her to fall to the ground.  
Wynonna was about to hit Dolls, but Nicole was faster and with her eyes shining blue, she attacked the man, pushing him several meters away, - Don't touch her! - Nicole growled.  
\- Nicole! - Waverly screamed, beginning to run towards her.  
\- It's okay, baby, I'm here. - Nicole answered, as she took Waverly in her arms.  
Wynonna and Henry stood still, they knew Nicole wouldn't hurt Waverly, but they were safe.  
Dolls sat on the floor, unable to believe the umpteenth change in behavior of the red-haired woman. But soon he regained control and returned to the attack with the syringe in his hand.   
\- What are you going to do with that? - Growled Nicole, turning on herself, so she had Waverly behind her.  
\- I'll make sure you don't hurt anyone anymore. - Dolls said, continuing to walk towards Nicole.  
\- Who did I hurt? - Nicole asked disoriented, but Dolls approaching with a syringe in his hand was a major problem, - I can't transform myself, if that's what you're so worried about, something stops me. - Nicole said.  
Dolls didn't listen and kept advancing towards Nicole, when she was a few inches away from her,  
\- Wynonna intervened.  
\- Get out of the way! - Dolls shouted, who had noticed Nicole's awakening, and pushed Waverly away, causing her to fall to the ground.  
Wynonna was about to hit Dolls, but Nicole was faster and with her eyes shining blue, she attacked the man, pushing him several meters away, - Don't touch her! - Nicole growled.  
\- Nicole! - Waverly screamed, beginning to run towards her.  
\- It's okay, baby, I'm here. - Nicole answered, as she took Waverly in her arms.  
Wynonna and Henry stood still, they knew Nicole wouldn't hurt Waverly, but they were safe.  
Dolls sat on the floor, unable to believe the umpteenth change in behavior of the red-haired woman. But soon he regained control and returned to the attack with the syringe in his hand.   
\- What are you going to do with that? - She growled Nicole, turning on herself, so she had Waverly behind her.  
\- I'll make sure you don't hurt anyone anymore. - Dolls said, continuing to walk towards Nicole.  
\- Who did I hurt? - Nicole asked disoriented, but Dolls approaching with a syringe in his hand was a major problem, - I can't transform myself, if that's what you're so worried about, something stops me. - Nicole said.  
Dolls did not listen and continued to advance towards Nicole, when she was a few inches from her, he lifted the syringe, ready to hit, but Nicole grabbed the man's arm and twisted it, until he dropped the syringe, which was promptly recovered by Waverly.  
\- Give it to me! - Ordered Dolls while Nicole left his arm.  
\- Leave her alone, you came for me, right? Then take me and leave my family alone! - Nicole growled.  
In response Dolls punched Nicole's cheekbone.  
Waverly, Wanonna and Henry didn't expect to see her fall a few feet away, as if Nicole had been hit by a running car.  
Nicole got up and growled, her eyes shone more and more.  
\- You did something really stupid. - Henry said.  
Dolls began to run towards the woman, reassured by the fact that she hadn't changed yet.   
\- Soon the moon will be in the middle of the sky, stupid! Why do you want to get yourself killed? - Nicole asked, while her voice just changed.  
Dolls did not answer and kept walking towards Nicole, he was threatening.- I don't want to hurt you. - Almost begged Nicole.  
\- Can't you see she gave up? Stop, damn it, you're gonna get us all killed! - Jeremi shouted.  
Dolls was just a few steps away from Nicole, she increased his speed ready to hit her again.  
\- You'll die then! - She growled at he and started running towards Dolls.  
\- I don't want to hurt you. - Almost begged Nicole.  
\- Can't you see she gave up? Stop, damn it, you're gonna get us all killed! - Jeremi shouted.  
Dolls was just a few steps away from Nicole, she increased his speed ready to hit her again.  
\- You'll die then! - She growled at Nicole and started running towards Dolls.  
The impact between the two bodies was deafening and Waverly could not help but think about the clash between Nicole and the black wolf, it was the same identical noise.  
\- He's not human either. - Wynonna said while following the clash between Dolls and Nicole.  
The two hit each other with kicks and punches: Dolls seemed to have the advantage, but Nicole was not going to give up.  
\- I handed myself in, and you still want to fight? You're a fool! - Nicole growled, she was suffering because her body was fighting against three opponents: Dolls, something that prevented her from transforming and the full moon.  
Dolls took advantage of Nicole's moment of distraction and gave her a violent knee in her stomach, Nicole fell to the ground growling with pain. But Dolls didn't have enough and started kicking her in the face.  
\- Stop! - Waverly and Wynonna screamed and ran to stop him.  
From Nicole's nose and mouth trickled streams of blood.  
\- I'll take care of it! - Jeremi shouted, everyone, except Nicole, turned towards him: the boy was wearing what looked like a gas mask and had a strange round object in his hand.  
Dolls immediately moved away from Nicole and ran towards the van.  
\- I'm sorry. - Jermemi said, dropping the object to the ground.  
Before anyone could understand what was going on, the yard was plunged into a green fog and Waverly, Nicole, Wynonna and Henry lost consciousness.


	10. Answers - Part 1

**10**

 

Waverly woke up when she felt her body being shaken and a voice called her name. She felt very confused and stunned, through her closed eyelids, she could see an orange-pink glow: a light.  
\- Waverly? - Wynonna's voice kept calling her.  
The girl opened her eyes, but was forced to close them immediately: the sun was dazzling her.  
\- What happened? - She asked, trying to open her eyes.  
\- I'm not sure, but I think we've been narcotized by that strange green fog. - Wynonna replied, helping Waverly to sit down.  
\- Where's Nicole?! - Waverly asked, as soon as she was able to regain control of herself.  
\- They took her away. - Doc answered, sitting on the porch.  
Waverly couldn't speak, she felt sick and was very cold, probably had a fever: they had spent all night in the cold.  
\- They couldn't really have done it... - Waverly whispered.  
\- I'm sorry, baby. - Wynonna said, hugging Waverly, but the girl escaped her sister's embrace, - do you mind? You didn't do anything to stop them! - She cried, slowly realizing that Nicole was not there and probably, she would never see her again.  
\- What could I do?! - Wynonna yelled, angry, - you lied to me! You should have told me what Nicole was immediately! Maybe then I could have done something! -  
\- Are you saying it's my fault...? - Waverly couldn't look at her sister, anger was giving way to guilt.  
Wynonna calmed down, realizing that she had used the wrong words, - no, but I thought we were telling each other everything. - She whispered.  
\- Nicole didn't ask me to lie, it was my choice, don't tell you anything. - Waverly said, feeling obliged to protect Nicole.  
\- Let's go and talk inside, I'm cold. - Wynonna said, pulling her sisters by the arms, helping her to stand up.

\- I feel betrayed. - Wynonna said, as she sat on the couch, with a blanket on her back and a cup of coffee in her hand.  
Waverly didn't answer and Henry sat in silence, he didn't know what to do or say.  
\- Nicole didn't betray anyone. - Waverly said, finally.  
\- She betrayed me and my trust! - Wynonna screamed angrily.  
\- Why do you do that? Uh? In your opinion, was it easy, to reveal such a secret?! - Waverly was also starting to get angry.  
\- You betrayed me too! - Wynonna screamed, spilling some coffee.  
\- Nobody betrayed you, stop this bullshit! It wasn't easy, what was I supposed to do? What would have changed if you had known?! - Waverly stood up.  
\- I would have done a lot more things knowing I had a chimera under my own roof! - Wynonna was screaming more and more, her blue eyes were covered with a veil, maybe tears.  
\- Nicole is not a chimera! She' a lycanthrope, first and second tell me what you would have done!? Would you have padded her body with silver? You would have killed her!? - Waverly was hysterical.  
Wynonna didn't answer.  
\- Who is silent consents? Is that what you're trying to say? -  
\- No, the silent ones, it's because they don't want to talk anymore. -   
\- Don't you want to talk now? -  
\- That's right, because I'm afraid I'm gonna hear more shit coming out of your mouth! -  
\- I didn't bullshit you, I omitted the truth, it's very different! -  
\- Those three corpses whose blood is on our yard could have been us! Can you understand that or are you too stupid to face the facts?! - Wynonna also stood up, letting the blanket and other coffee go to the ground.  
\- Nicole didn't hurt us! She could never hurt us! Why did you forget that she saved us?! -  
\- I haven't forgotten, but I don't even forget that she could have killed us all! -  
\- But she didn't! Damn it! For the first time in my life, I want to hit your stupid face! -  
Wynonna violently laid the cup on the table and approached Waverly, - do you want to hit me?! Then do it! - She said, pushing Waverly.  
\- Girls, please, we're all upset... - Henry said, realizing that the situation was going out of control.  
\- Come on! Hit my stupid face! - Wynonna screamed a few centimeters from Waverly's face.  
The girl covered her mouth and began to cry, - sorry. - She said, as she passed Wynonna and left the room.  
\- Shit... - Wynonna whispered.  
Waverly picked up the shirt, which still lay on the ground, near the door: it was Nicole's red and black shirt, the one she liked so much, and she liked it too. Waverly wore the fabric to her face, breathing in Nicole's smell of musk and vanilla.  
She went up the stairs, she needed to be alone, she needed to think, in her mind there was too much pain.

Waverly was about to fall asleep, squeezed into Nicole's shirt, when she heard someone knocking slowly on the door.  
\- Can I come in? - Wynonna's voice reached her, but she didn't have the strength to respond.  
A few seconds passed, - I'm coming in. - Wynonna said opening the door.  
\- I exaggerated. - Wynonna entered the room and approached Waverly's bed.  
The girl remained motionless, as if just breathing would cost her a huge effort.  
Wynonna got on the bed and lay down next to her sister, looking at her sister's sad and tired face.  
\- I didn't want to hit you, I don't know why I said so... - Waverly whispered.  
\- I know, - Wynonna caressed her sister's hair.  
Waverly started crying again, her tears began to wet Nicole's shirt.  
\- Everything will be fine... - Wynonna whispered, continuing to caress Waverly's hair.  
\- I've grown so attached to her, I know that I almost don't know her, but there is something very strong, something that unites us. -   
Wynonna remained silent, letting her sister vent her pain.  
\- I don't know if this is love, - continued Waverly, - I've never been in love, but when I'm with her, it seems that everything is right. The world becomes a warm and welcoming place, while now, everything seems hostile and cold. I miss her, as if they had taken something essential from me, and that hurts. -  
\- I talked to Henry, when his leg heals, we're gonna go get Nicole back. -  
Waverly looked at her with surprise, - are you serious? - Tears began to fall more and more copiously.  
Wynonna nodded, - we're going to get our Nicole back. -  
From Waverly's mouth came out a sort of wheeze while she hugged her sister loudly.  
Wawely cried loudly, divided between pain and joy.  
When Waverly was calmer, she melted her embrace and looked at her sister, - there's something else you don't know, but you have to know. -   
Wynonna nodded, - first however, go to wash your face, when you're calmer we'll talk. I'll go make you a hot chocolate. - She said as she got up.

Wynonna and Waverly were sitting side by side on the small sofa, in Waverly's room, holding a cup of hot chocolate.  
Waverly decided to start the speech with something manageable, before throwing the bomb.  
\- You found Nicole naked because she had turned; the black werewolf had set us a trap. -  
There was something in Waverly's words that Wynonna didn't understand - a trap? Does it have such an intelligence? - Wynonna asked confused.  
\- An intelligence equal to mine, or yours. - Waverly replied, she needed time to choose words.  
\- What are you trying to tell me? - Wynonna asked, blowing the steam out of the cup.  
\- The black werewolf, he, he was able to speak and reason, almost like a human being. -  
Wynonna was pretty surprised, but she nodded encouraging her sister to continue.  
\- Because he was a human being, he is a lycanthrope, like Nicole. -  
\- Wow... okay... um... is Nicole talking too? -  
\- No, I don't think so. -  
\- Is Nicole one of the mad scientist's experiments? - Wynonna asked, although she was pretty sure she knew the answer.  
\- Yes. -  
\- Okay, Nicole's turned to defend you from him, I guess. -  
\- Yes. -  
\- And in her wolf form, she didn't attack you, right? -  
\- Right, she was exactly like last night: a puppy; but when she turned to him, she became fierce. She's always like that: with us she's good and kind, but when someone threatens us, she becomes a beast. -  
Wynonna nodded, trying to process the information.   
\- There's something else, I can feel it. - She said, after a few seconds of silence.  
\- You're right, but I don't know how to start. - Waverly admitted.   
\- I'm calm now, I'm still angry with you and Nicole, but not like before, it was fear and anger to talk. -  
\- It's so absurd. -  
\- Try it, I think there's nothing left to upset me about it. -  
\- All right, I'll try. - Waverly took a deep breath and then spoke quickly, - the black werewolf and the mad scientist are the same person. -  
Wynonna looked at her, - okay.... -  
\- I'm not finished. - Waverly said, trying to breathe correctly, it was difficult to even think about those things.  
\- I'm listening. -  
\- You saw the scars on Nicole's body, didn't you? -  
\- Yes, I remember them, especially because I saw them again last night, they were really bad and it hurts me to think about them. -  
\- I think it's the signs of the experiments done on her. -  
\- I think I know that. -  
\- I can't say it. -  
\- What can't you tell me? - Wynonna took Waverly's hand.  
\- It's like you're doing something like that to me, you're my sister, blood of my blood... -  
Wynonna was starting to get a bad feeling, she was sure that whatever Waverly was about to say would not be good to hear.   
\- Nicole, she... she.... - tears began to fall again, the pain and disgust of the thought were really strong.  
\- It's okay... -  
\- Nicole is his daughter. - She finally said.  
Wynonna prayed with all her heart that she had misunderstood, - whose daughter? -  
\- Him, the scientist. -  
\- Oh, my God... Nicole... shit! - Wynonna almost dropped the cup, - did her father do those things to her? - Wynonna couldn't believe it, she didn't want to believe it: it was something horrible and unacceptable.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, I hope you like the story, in this chapter there was not much action, but I wanted to describe the reaction of Wynonna; write only: Waverly tells Wynonna everything she knows, it seemed to me an insult to the story, also serves to make a small summary of the previous part.  
> Thanks for being here.


	11. Answers - Parte 2

**11**

 

Wynonna stood still, she couldn't accept that a human being could do something like that to another human being, not to his daughter. Waverly was right: it was as if she, Wynonna, tortured Waverly, something she couldn't even think of without being nauseous.  
\- Why did he do this to her...? - Wynonna whispered.  
Waverly tried to calm down, - I don't know, he was talking about perfection, about invincible beings... he said he was a genius. - Waverly replied, she struggled to remember everything, it was like reliving the scene.  
\- He's an asshole! Not a genius! - Wynonna was angry.  
\- I know... Nicole didn't deserve this, no one deserves such a thing. -  
\- When he did this to her, I mean, how old was Nicole, when did it start? -  
\- I don't know, we haven't talked about it, there hasn't been time. -  
Part of Wynonna was happy not to know the answer.  
\- Can he resume human form? -  
\- I have no idea. I only saw him in his wolf form. -  
\- Do you know why the lab is destroyed? -  
\- No, I just have some hypotheses: the escape of the experiments or it was him, the scientist. Sometimes it was just like talking to a human being, other times, instead, it was a beast, lacking in wisdom. He wanted to eat me... but Nicole saved me, shouted to him that I was hers, she seemed convinced that by saying this, he would leave me alone. Thinking about it now, it's behavior that makes sense, I mean, it's as if she had claimed me, as if I were hers and... I don't know, I'm trying to apply some wolf behavior to them, but maybe it's all wrong. -

\- What happens to Nicole on the full moon? I mean, why does she lose control? -  
\- I am not sure, but the moon is as important to living beings as the sun, not only affects human behavior, animal and tides, a recent study assumes that life on earth began when the moon was formed, thanks to the tides that pushed life forms, of the primordial broth, on land.   
I'm wandering, but anyway, I think that the chemistry that composes Nicole's new DNA is more sensitive to the moon; I know that before Nevesplendida, that of the werewolf was only a legend, like vampires, but I find it incredible that elements like silver and the full moon are effective in reality, I begin to think that werewolves have always existed. -  
Wynonna had no idea what to say.  
\- My guesses are just hypotheses, but I don't think I'm far from the truth. - Waverly continued, talking like that helped her to calm down, after all, she was a scientist.  
\- And the chimeras? Henry and the guys found so many experiments, not "working" -  
\- You said it yourself, it was experiments, tests. It reminds me of some Nazi experiments, especially for the blue eyes, it was the first thing I thought about, you know, they were fixed with the Aryan race, perfection, they said... but they also did experiments on humans and animals. But there was also that Russian researcher, you know what he did experiments on dogs, what was his name ....? Ivan Pavlov, on the conditioned reflection at the beginning of the 20th century. -  
\- I'm afraid I'll never follow you again. - Wyononna admitted.  
\- Don't worry, I'm just saying that the story has already seen this kind of horrors, but he, he has gone further, managed to survive his experiments. -  
\- Waverly... I know you don't, but you seem to admire it. -  
\- It is the scientist who speaks, as a human being I am disgusted and wounded, but the other part of me is... I don't know, it's incredible. If only he had applied this knowledge to do good, we could have said we lived in the same time as a genius, but he is a monster who plays with life, he plays to be God. -  
\- You and Nicole have one thing in common. -  
Waverly looked at her, she was confused, - what do you mean? -  
\- You're two beings living together in the same body. -  
\- I think I'll take that as a compliment. -  
\- Yeah, it probably was. How do you explain the behaviour of the inhabitants? -  
\- Nicole also replied to this, saying that the clinic provides food to the beasts, in the hope of being left alone. - Waverly replied.  
\- Right... I had forgotten, but there is still something I don't understand, for example: old Marta, she seemed to know what Nicole was and said that we hadn't seen soldiers in a long time, I don't know, maybe it was really the experiments that destroyed the laboratory during the escape, but why did they manage to escape, if the scientist is still alive? And then, the story of chimeras attacking humans seems to have been going on for much longer. There are too many questions and so few answers. -  
\- Didn't it seem strange to you that the government gave us information on where they were taking Nicole? I mean, they usually do everything in secret without leaving any witnesses. And why exactly in Nevesplendida, with all the structures they have? I mean, what is there in Nevesplendida, besides the destroyed laboratory? -  
\- You're right. Thinking about it in a cold mind, this doesn't make any sense. - Wynonna said.  
\- There are too many things that don't function in this story, too many things without logic, too many mysteries starting with our expedition, whose meaning I have not yet understood, they left us in that place and the intention seemed to be to block us down there, but why? I really can't understand. -

Wynonna remained silent for a few seconds, there was really no logic in all this, but what if there was? How perverse could the situation be? How much did the government really know? Were the people who came to their aid the same people who had sent them there? Why couldn't she understand anything about it? What secrets does Nevesplendida still hide?

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are there any other questions that Waverly might know the answer to that I forgot to write about? If yes, be kind and let me know :)  
> Obviously I have a different point of view of the story, because I know what happened, what happens and what will happen, so I could create mysteries that do not really exist.  
> Thank you!


	12. Hope

**12**

 

It's been a week since Nicole was taken away.

\- Damn it! How is this possible?! - Wynonna was really angry.  
\- I can't explain it to myself. - Henry answered by scratching his head.  
\- It doesn't make any sense, is it possible that an invented name was used? It's impossible that it doesn't appear on any map! - Waverly was really frustrated and worried, there seemed to be no solution.  
\- That's why they told us the name, because we wouldn't have found it anyway! -  
\- I don't know how else to find out where Nevesplendida is located. - Wynonna said.  
\- It's somewhere in the north, but we don't know anything else, calculating that the flight lasted about two hours, it should be near Canada, I think. - Waverly said, trying to remember.  
\- What if they hadn't really brought her back there? What if it was yet another attempt to throw us off the rails? - Henry asked.  
\- Then there's no hope. - Wynonna commented.  
\- There has to be an explanation, why use a foreign name? That it's a code? - Waverly had no other choice, every possibility had to be considered. -  
\- It's probably a military area, it can't appear on the maps, unless Henry is right and Nicole was taken somewhere else. - Wynonna said.  
\- The last chance to ask someone in the government, maybe some old colleague, could give us answers. - Henry said.  
\- Do you think it could work? - Waverly asked, feeling the hope of being rekindled.  
\- I don't put my hand on the fire, but I think we should try, what was committed against Nicole is a crime against humanity, we can't pretend nothing. -  
\- But when I contacted the government, denouncing what we knew, no one answered or rather, seemed not to interest them. As if they knew what was going on, but they didn't want to intervene. Even if they came to save us. It's useless, I don't understand anything anymore, there are too many contradictions.

Three days later.

Waverly couldn't give herself peace, she had presumed that it would be possible to find Nicole, but now, she didn't know anymore. The greatest pain was the thought that Nicole was probably suffering, that someone was using her body and mind as if they were objects and not parts of a living being. Nicole probably thought they had forgotten about her, but they didn't: they didn't want to abandon Nicole.  
Henry had contact with several people, but the answers were always the same: I have no idea what you are talking about.  
A lie, a lie that was all too obvious, no one seemed to care about the pain of other living things, but all this pain for what? Waverly felt disgusted by belonging to the human species, many times, the human being was the worst of the beasts.  
They had been abandoned, forgotten, as if the world had become deaf and blind.  
Waverly stood up and went to a piece of furniture near the door, opened a small house and took Nicole's silver dagger, there was no time to return it.  
Waverly admired the blade and wondered how many times Nicole had held it, how many times that object had saved her life. The first time she saw it was when they had fought against the first chimera: the one that killed William... William, another victim without fault.  
Waverly felt the tears began to fall, she had not realized that she had begun to cry.  
\- Nicole.... -

It was the middle of the night, when excited voices woke Waverly up.  
The girl placed Nicole's shirt on the pillow and without worrying about being in her pajamas and barefoot, rushed out of the room, descending the steps.  
\- What's going on here? - She asked alarmed, as she entered the kitchen.  
Wynonna and Henry turned to her, their faces had an indecipherable expression.  
\- What is it? - She asked again.  
\- Good evening. - A voice said, only at what point, Waverly realized that there was a third person in the kitchen, he immediately recognized him: the boy who accompanied the men who wanted to take Nicole away.  
\- You? - Waverly didn't know how to react. - What is he doing here? -  
\- It's nice to see you again. - He said as he approached to shake hands with Waverly, but the girl was not in the mode of making friends.- I don't care who you are! What are you doing here? Who else do you want to take?! - Waverly screamed overwhelmed by anger.  
\- He's here to get help and help us. - Henry said.  
Waverly looked at her sister for confirmation and Wynonna nodded, - he knows where Nicole is. -  
\- Why should we trust you? -  
\- Because I have something to lose, too. - Jeremi answered, looking her in the face.  
\- So, where is Nicole? -  
\- To Nevesplendida. -  
\- Don't tell bullshit to me, there's no such place! What are you doing here? Who else do you want to take?! - Waverly screamed overwhelmed by anger.  
\- He's here to get help and help us. - Henry said.  
Waverly looked at her sister for confirmation and Wynonna nodded, - he knows where Nicole is. -  
\- Why should we trust you? -  
\- Because I have something to lose, too. - Jeremi answered, looking her in the face.  
\- So, where is Nicole? -  
\- To Nevesplendida. -  
\- Don't bullshit me, there's no such place! - Waverly was losing control.  
\- Of course it exists, you were there too. -  
\- Don't make fun of me. You know exactly what I mean. -  
\- Oh in that sense... right, of course, that place isn't called Nevesplendida, it's a nickname the inhabitants gave it. -  
\- You want to talk to me?! I'm losing patience! -  
\- Waves... Calm down, please. - Wynonna had never seen her sister act like that, usually Waverly was the calm and thoughtful one between them.  
\- How can I stay calm?! Who knows what they're doing to Nicole right now! -  
\- I don't think they were able to do anything to Nicole, because the plane on which they were travelling, on which my brother was also travelling, crashed. Nicole changed during the full moon on the second day. -  
Waverly was incapable of breathing.  
\- Precipitated... -  
\- Yeah, that's why I'm here. I was communicating with Dolls when Nicole changed. It was hell, the last thing I heard was that the plane was losing altitude. -  
\- And you're waiting all this time?! -  
\- I asked the government for help, explaining the situation, but they replied that there was no plane going to that place. Even my special group, the black badge, pretended not to understand what I was talking about. You are my last hope, if my brother is still alive, I want to bring him home. -  
\- What makes you think you can get our help? -  
\- I'm the only one who can find that place, I know where it is. -  
\- How do you know the location? -  
\- I was supposed to be on that plane too, but in the end my brother took my place, his skills are better than mine, in that situation, he was the perfect man. -  
\- Why exactly in Nevesplendida, or what is its name in reality? -  
\- I know little or nothing, I've heard rumors that they were war operations, but I don't know the truth, I'm just a simple scientist. -  
\- What makes you think your brother might still be alive? -  
\- That's cruel, Waves... - Said Wynonna.  
\- It's not cruel, it's logical, what chance did he have to survive: between the crash of an airplane and an out-of-control werewolf? -  
\- The plane was flying at low altitude, in any case I have my good reasons. How do you know she's still alive? -  
\- She's special. -  
\- So is my brother. -  
Waverly realized that she risked losing her only chance of finding Nicole because of her anger.  
\- Sorry, Jeremi. - She said, finally.  
The boy nodded.  
\- You'll get our help. - Said Wynonna, - and we'll find the people we're looking for, healthy and safe. -


	13. Conflicting feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, the story doesn't really go on. But, I found necessary to analyze the feelings of the three of the four principal characters, I hope it is not boring, but interesting from a psychological point of view.   
> Thank you all to be here.

**13**

 

Jermi had gone out shortly after, he was afraid that someone would discover his intentions and condemn him to death for treason, he would come back the next night, to deepen the details.

\- We didn't ask him if he could fly a plane. - Wynonna commented.  
\- A helicopter might be enough, but we see, calculating the four of us, plus Nicole, Jeremi's brother and the man, seven. -  
\- Eight if you count the pilot, too. - Wynonna said.  
\- No, seven in any case, I'm not going to take that man with me, if he's still alive. -  
\- Then six, because I can fly a helicopter. - Henry said, he was beginning to be confused by all those numbers.  
\- Did you really think about rescuing the man who kidnapped Nicole? That he wanted to give her a lethal dose of silver and that during an attack of anger he was killing her with kicks? - Waverly couldn't believe it.  
\- He's still a human being. - Henry said.  
\- No, it probably isn't, in any sense. -  
\- Nicole's not human either. - Henry continued.  
\- I can't believe we're really making this conversation. - Waverly was starting to get angry.  
\- We're going to save a werewolf who definitely killed three people, I don't feel like condemning a man who was probably just following orders, who was doing his job: the soldier. - Henry, too, was beginning to get altered.  
\- He was killing her with kicks to her face! - Waverly screamed.  
\- She killed his companions! - Henry screamed in turn.  
\- Guys, please... -  
But neither of them listened to Wynonna, who for once did the reasonable one.  
\- They started it! If they had left her alone, nobody would have died! Damn it! -  
\- I can't believe life is so unimportant to you! -  
\- What's that? You can't be serious. Are you serious? - Waverly was always screaming more and more.  
\- Nicole is guilty, how much and probably more than that soldier! -  
\- Nicole had no control over herself! He did, he wanted to kill her, even after she had surrendered! Damn it! You're pissing me off Henry! -  
\- You're pissing me off, kid! -  
\- Who did you call kid? I'm not your daughter and thank God I'm not! -  
\- Guys! - Wynonna shouted, - stop it, both of you! -  
The two angrily looked at each other, but remained silent.  
\- Calm down, if we begin to fight with each other it's the end. - Wynonna added.  
\- You were also a soldier, our task is to protect life and freedom, it is our oath. - Henry said, calmer.  
\- Go to hell, Henry. - Waverly came out of the room, no one tried to stop her.

Waverly went back to her room and let her anger turn into tears, the thing that hurt her the most was that, perhaps, Henry was not wrong, but to admit it would be like betraying Nicole... Nicole: a being who suffered too much, a creature whose life was raped and destroyed by those who had to love her.  
The young woman let herself fall on the bed and took Nicole's shirt, whose smell was getting weaker and weaker, this hurt Waverly, she was afraid of forgetting even her voice, what would have happened if they had managed to save her? How would she have been able to continue? She could not explain how, but even if she knew her so little, Waverly felt that something tied her to Nicole, something that went beyond physical attraction, something that was not a crush, no, something much more powerful, something chemical.

\- I should go apologize to her... - Henry said, finally calm, - I exaggerated. -  
\- You said what you thought and she too, it was the way you talked to each other, not what you said to each other. -  
Henry looked with sincere love at his wife: a woman so intelligent, wise and beautiful.  
\- What a lucky man I am. - He said hugging Wynonna.  
\- What's up, cowboy? - Wynonna asked putting her face on the man's chest.  
\- It won't sound virile, but with you I can be myself... I'm afraid Wynonna, I'm afraid of losing what we've conquered, after so much pain and effort. -  
\- I'm scared too, love, I'm scared because whatever we do, there will never be the security, the security that we had before Nevesplendida. Our certainties have collapsed, it is no longer possible to distinguish reality and fantasy. I'm afraid of losing you, I'm afraid of losing Waverly or seeing her suffer too much. -  
\- Are we sure about what we're doing? I mean, I'm the first to say that life has to be defended, but is it really up to us to do something so big? -  
\- We're alone, Henry... We're the three of us against the world. -  
\- I asked myself something, something I'm not proud of. -  
\- What's that? - Asked Wynonna tightening he up stronger.  
\- I wondered if I would do all this just for Nicole, if there was only her to save, would I go, endangering my whole family? I don't forget that Nicole saved our lives and that she wanted to let herself be taken to keep us safe, but... but what are we saving? I would like to wake up, wake up in my bed, next to you and tell you about a strange dream, a dream populated by werewolves and chimeras, and then you would kiss me, telling me that it was just a nightmare. Am I a monster? -  
\- No, you're not. You're a human being. Maybe if Waverly hadn't fallen in love with Nicole up to that point, maybe I wouldn't leave, or maybe I'm lying to myself, because I think I'm starting to love Nicole too, as if she's always been part of the family. -  
\- I want to grow old next to you, Wynonna, surrounded by our grandchildren. - Henry took Wynonna's body away from him so he could look her in the eye.  
\- I love you too. - Wynonna said, kissing Henry's lips, her moustache tickled her nose, a feeling of warm familiarity.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering: yes my connection works pretty well, probably tomorrow it will snow, so goodbye connection, I try to write and publish as long as I can and have free time ;)


	14. Strange encounters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Change of point of view, a jump into the past.

**14**

 

\- I'm sick. -  
\- Ignore her. -   
\- Please, I'm sick. - She implored.  
The young man did not know what to do: on the one side there was a woman covered in blood who was asking for help, on the other side his superior who ordered him to do nothing.  
\- Please... -  
\- Shut up! -  
\- Is there nothing we can do for her? - The young man asked.  
\- She's pretending, she thinks I'll be stupid enough to free her. -  
\- I don't want to be released, I want to prevent it. - Nicole wheezed.  
Dolls looked at her for a moment, but then, he started to ignore her again.   
\- Stupid. You'll all die. -  
Nicole felt that she was about to lose control again: her body was going through spasms and pain, she was cold, but she was sweating, her body was on fire.  
\- You will all die. - She whispered again.  
Nicole could feel the cold metal of the handcuffs, becoming hot, in contact with her skin; how long would it take, she wondered, to break them?  
Her body was eliminating the remaining silver: Dolls hadn't injected any more, a really stupid choice.  
\- If you don't want to help me, then kill me! - The pain she felt was immense, she felt that the moon was rising in the sky, even if she could not see it: the plane had no windows.  
\- I don't understand, why does she behave like this? - The young man asked, feeling the discomfort increasing.  
\- I told you to ignore her. - Dolls answered, threatening.  
\- Damn it! - Nicole screamed with pain and anger, - don't you understand? Today the moon will be even stronger, if I transform myself there will be no way to stop me, I still ask you: kill... - but Nicole couldn't finish the sentence, a shake of pain broke her breath.  
Nicole's mind was so clouded, she could no longer have coherent thoughts, she was little further away and she would no longer be able to hold the beast within herself.  
She collapsed to the ground, trying to curl up in the fetal position, she wanted to hold out until the end.  
The on-board radio began to caw.  
\- Dolls. -   
\- This is Jeremi. Where are you? -  
\- We're just a few miles from our destination, we fly over the forest. -  
\- All right, I'll report it. When you land, you will contact me again. -  
\- Wait a minute. - Dolls blocked the button, so he had his hands free, he could not hear what Jeremi was saying, but Jeremi could hear everything.  
A deafening scream reached Jeremi's ears.  
\- Is she transforming?! - Screamed a voice, Jeremi immediately recognized it: his brother.  
\- Get ready. - Dolls said.  
The woman's screams turned into growling and threatening verses.  
\- Damn it! - Jeremi's brother shouted while the woman became a wolf.  
There were deafening noises mixed with the screams of the beast and the two men.  
\- Fuck! We're losing altitude! Pilot! - It was the last thing Jeremi heard screaming.  
Then a deafening noise and the radio stopped transmitting.

 

-<>-<>-

 

Nicole slowly opened her eyes, the reflection of the sun on the snow was dazzling.  
The icy snow, in contact with her naked skin, gave her a pleasant feeling of relief, her whole body was painful.  
\- Where am I...? -She struggled to remember.  
She was able to turn her head and looked around: trees and snow.  
\- Welcome home, Nicole. - She said to herself.  
She waited a few minutes before trying to get up, her head turned and she was nauseous, weak and naked; she knew she was a prey, all too easy.  
She fought with herself and finally managed to stand up, looked around, and beyond the tops of the trees, saw a column of black smoke. - I feel sorry for that boy, he at least felt compassion for me. -  
Nicole began to walk in the opposite direction, she was about ten kilometers from Nevesplendida, but had to go around the city limits, to reach her home.  
She approached a stream and without hesitation plunged into the clear and icy water: she had to take her blood off or she would soon be located.  
\- If only I had my needle: as Wynonna called it. - Nicole had a twinge of pain, not a physical pain: a pain of the soul.  
She emerged from the icy waters and started walking again, her hair froze and became hard, but she didn't feel cold, not outside, but inside.  
Walking was painful, her muscles were still suffering from the transformation of the previous night: she could not run and could not transform.  
\- Is this what it feels like to be a prey? What a bad feeling. - She said, continuing to talk to herself, it was the only way to stay lucid and feel less alone.  
She heard the birds singing, it was a good sign: besides her, there were no predators nearby. It was strange but, was she really so weak as not to be perceived as a threat? Yes, she confirmed it when, a few steps away from her, a snow rabbit, passed by her and slipped into its underground den. - If it wasn't tragic, it would be almost amusing. -

Nicole walked for almost an hour, thanks to her left eye she could clearly see every movement of the forest, but it was not something she saw that froze her blood: it was something she heard.  
\- Shit... - Somewhere, a few dozen meters from her, hidden among the trees, there was something that wheezed and moved, making a lot of noise.  
Nicole knew that she was not yet in a condition to fight, perhaps, not even to escape, she had to think quickly.  
She found a fir tree that was right for her, and using every useful handhold, she began to climb, perhaps, hidden among the foliage, would not be found and the smell of the needles of the tree, would camouflage her smell.  
Whatever it was, it was coming up.  
Nicole expected to see anything, any kind of creature, but not two humans.  
\- We're going round in circles, we're lost. - Said Sara, supporting the body of a boy, he seemed wounded.  
Nicole couldn't believe her eyes, she knew that girl: she was with Waverly and Wynonna, the first time they met. But it was also that pile of clothes and meat in the clearing, was it perhaps a hallucination?  
\- How can we get lost if we don't know where we're going? - The boy asked, agonizing.  
And who is he? Maybe the second guy I had gone looking for? It's not possible, they're dead, they're dead!  
Nicole didn't mind that she was naked and jumped out of the tree, landing behind them.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was 8 o'clock in the morning here in Italy, when I was about to publish this chapter and the current has gone away, for a snowstorm, now it's 04.21 xD


	15. In the wolf's lair.

**15**

 

Sara turned around, scared of the noise. Without hesitation, she shot.  
Nicole screamed with pain when the bullet penetrated her shoulder: silver.  
\- Oh, my God!!! Forgive me! - Sara shouted: she had recognized the woman in front of her. She stared at Nicole's left eye, but chose not to ask for anything, it was not the time.   
Nicole mouthed for a few seconds: it was a terrible pain, but luckily the girl did not have a good aim: if the bullet had taken some organ or a more delicate point, in those conditions, she would certainly be dead already. - It's okay, don't worry. -  
\- Who is she? - John asked, trying not to look too much at Nicole.  
\- Her name is Nicole, she was the woman who guided us. - Sara replied, then she turned again to Nicole: - I'm sorry I shot you, I got scared. -   
Nicole nodded comprehensively, she had to expect it, after all: they were in the forest of horrors. - Don't worry, it's not serious. -  
\- Can you stand alone for a minute? - Sara asked John, the boy nodded.  
The girl took the backpack off her shoulders and took out a blanket. She approached Nicole, - cover yourself with this. -  
\- Thank you. Could you tell me if the bullet went out? - Nicole asked, lowering herself and showing Sara her back.  
\- I'd say so. There's the exit hole. I'm really sorry, I was afraid you would be a chimera. -  
\- Don't worry, you did the right thing. - Nicole said, covering herself with the blanket.  
\- You must be freezing to death and you're hurt. - John said looking at the woman with sincere preoccupation.  
\- I'm not cold, don't worry. My home is about five kilometers from here, I would say that in less than an hour we could reach it. There we could talk calmly, there are many things I have to ask you. -  
\- We have questions too, but you can't imagine how happy I am to see you, Nicole. - Sara said, now that the initial adrenaline had dropped, she almost wanted to cry. - You were lucky, I'm used to firearms, I could have killed you... -  
Nicole nodded, - come with me. -

The journey was rather quiet, they heard some animals approaching, but punctually disappeared again in the forest, Nicole thought she knew the reason: Sara and John had a terrible smell, she would never dream of eating them. They were probably covered in a repellent or something like that, but they didn't seem to know it.  
\- Is it a long way to get there? - John asked.   
\- No, just a few hundred meters away. - Nicole answered.  
In fact, after a few minutes, the three of them saw Nicole's small wooden house.  
Nicole looked at her house with her heart in turmoil: she didn't know what to feel, she seemed not to see it for centuries, while another part of her had never wanted to see it again.  
Without more hesitation, the woman approached the door and opened it. - You are the first people to enter here, so please don't be scared, even if that's probably what it looks like. - She said hesitating.  
The two guys nodded confused.  
The interior was pretty dark: there was only one small window.  
\- Wait, I'm lighting a lamp. - Nicole said, moving calmly in the dark.   
When the oil lamp was lit, it revealed a small room furnished with the bare minimum: a small table, four chairs, a sofa and an armchair, the back of the room there was also a small fireplace. A normal little house, if it hadn't been for dark stains on the walls and deep claw marks.  
\- I'm sorry, but I assure you that you are safe in here. - Nicole said, she knew very well that they had seen the old bloodstains and the marks of her claws.  
\- We don't have much choice, but anyway, I think we can trust you. You could have left us in the forest, but you didn't, you probably could have killed us if you had wanted to. - Sara said, while helping John to sit on the sofa.  
Nicole was confused: the girl seemed to know something.   
\- I'll get dressed and get some wood to light the fire, I imagine you're cold. -  
The two guys nodded.  
Nicole opened a door they hadn't noticed before and disappeared.  
While she was dressing, Nicole started to think: until a few days before, she would never let anyone into her house, maybe she wouldn't even help those two guys. She had changed, she was a different person now, perhaps thanks to Waverly and her family, who had shown her what she meant: to love and be compassionate. Not that Nicole was a bad person before, she was just different and more selfish, just focused on her survival. Perhaps she could have even considered them as food. Nicole shook her head to chase away those thoughts, before they became memories too painful and difficult to manage.  
Nicole went back to the room where the guys were.  
\- Does it hurt? - Sara asked to Nicole.  
\- It's not pleasant, but I can live with it. Your friend seems hurt. - Nicole said, looking at John.  
\- Yes, I hurt my leg when we crashed. - John answered.  
Nicole looked at him confused, but decided to postpone until later. - I'll get some wood, then I'll take a look at your leg and we'll talk. - She said, leaving the house.

Nicole looked at the remaining wood: it was not much, but for the moment it would have been enough, then she would have gone into the forest to get more, but first she had to recover her strength.  
She looked towards the forest: she felt observed, but it was probably just a feeling of her.   
Now she had other things to think about.  
She collected all the remaining wood and returned into the house.

\- It's going to get better soon. - She said, arranging the wood in the fireplace.  
\- Have you seen anyone else? I mean, anyone from the team? - John asked.  
\- No, you're the only ones, I hope, who came back here. Even if I don't know why you're here. -  
\- We don't know either. - Sara admitted.  
\- I thought you were dead, I found Henry in a ravine, he told me you had separated. I came back looking for you, but... - Nicole didn't know exactly what to say.  
\- Are they all alive? - Sara asked.  
\- The only victim, as far as I know, was only William, if I remember his name correctly. -  
\- Yes, his name was William. - John answered.  
Nicole nodded, had many questions to ask and that confused her.  
\- We know that you too were rescued and taken away from here, how did you get back there? - Sara asked.  
\- How do you know that I was also taken away from here? -   
\- I saw you. -  
Nicole didn't turn around and stayed focused on the fire. What does it mean, "I've saw you"?   
\- What did you see? -   
\- Everything. He was unconscious, so if you don't want me to say it out loud, I won't say it. - Sara said.  
John seemed very confused, but he remained silent.  
\- Are you afraid of me? -  
\- A little, but Professor Waverly trusted you, so I want to trust you too. -  
\- Why should we be afraid of her? - John asked, he seemed unaware of everything.  
\- How did you survive? - Nicole asked, continuing to stare at the flames.  
\- It was the black werewolf, he left us alive, he wanted to attract more people. I know you know it, but I'll say it anyway: he talks. He had us undressed and tied us up just outside the clearing. - Sara said.  
\- What did you hear in that clearing? -  
\- Nothing. I didn't understand what you were saying. I was too far away. -  
Nicole didn't know if it was true, but it probably didn't matter. She didn't even understand the sense of having left them alive, it could work even with them dead; what did the scientist want from them?  
\- How did you get back here? Do you know who did it? -  
\- We don't know who did it, after being rescued they took us to different places, they questioned us, but then they blindfolded us and we found ourselves in a box. I'm sure we were on a plane last night. They landed us with parachutes, tied to the boxes.  
When we got out of the boxes, we heard a deafening noise, then flames and smoke; we think, indeed we have the certainty: the plane has fallen.  
Nicole remained silent for a few seconds, trying to process the information. - You're right, the plane fell. I was there too. - She said as she turned towards them.  
The two guys took a look at each other.  
\- We didn't see any more boxes. - Said John.  
\- I wasn't in a box, I was on the plane. - Nicole answered as she approached them. - What did they ask you? When did they interrogate you? -  
Sara hesitated a few seconds, could not believe that Nicole had survived the crash.  
\- So many things. - She said, in the end.  
\- And what did you say? - Nicole was getting closer and closer to them.  
\- Everything we knew... - she said, holding her breath: Nicole was just a few steps away from them and she kept advancing slowly.  
\- But he doesn't know about me. - Nicole said, stopping in front of them.  
\- We were separated. -  
Nicole nodded, - after I look at his leg, you can tell him everything too. I'm not gonna hurt you. I promise. - Nicole said, kneeling down.  
Sara nodded and began to relax.  
\- Can I? - Nicole asked, touching John's leg.  
The boy was confused and frightened, but nodded stretching his injured leg.  
\- It's just a scratch and you have a sprained ankle. I'll take something to disinfect the cut. - She said, looking carefully at John's hairy leg.  
\- Thank you. - John whispered.  
Nicole nodded and disappeared again through the door.

Nicole disinfected and bandaged John's leg.  
\- I'm going to get more wood, I don't think anything and nobody will come here, but if something or someone that is not me comes through that door, then shoot. - Nicole said.  
\- Even if it were a red wolf? - Sara asked, with half a voice.  
Nicole hesitated and looked at her carefully. - Even if a red wolf enters, yes. - She answered at the end.  
Sara stared at her, - okay.... -  
\- But try not to waste bullets, they are made of silver and here they are more precious than gold, always aim at the head, better if the eyes or the heart. - She seemed on the verge of leaving, but then turned around, - why do you have a gun with silver bullets? -  
\- I don't know. I found it in the box. - The girl replied.  
Nicole nodded, - I'll be quick, if I don't come back before sunset, then you'll spend the night alone, if I'm alive, I'll come back tomorrow morning. Stay here and stay away from the forest and the city. -  
\- Why should you die...? - Sara asked with a thread of voice.  
\- I'll see you in a bit, or tomorrow morning. - Nicole said, coming out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if I've forgotten anything, some basic information.  
> Thank you.


	16. Hunting

**16**

 

Nicole walked around the house and recovered an axe.  
Her body was recovering, but her shoulder still hurt, fortunately the bullet had not had time to poison her blood.  
\- All right Nicole, find some dry trees and come back here. - She said to herself.  
Nicole began to walk towards the forest.  
She wondered what she was doing, she had left home without thinking too much: she had to get wood for the two guys. But why? For what reason did she take care of them? Why, did she ask herself all these questions?  
Nicole decided not to think about it, she was still too confused.  
She didn't take too long to find some old dead tree. Luckily, she was strong enough to handle the axe with one hand, even if she was a bit uncoordinated, because she was left-handed.  
She loaded dozens of kilos of wood, would have cut it at home: it was not wise to stay in the forest and that way it was easier to carry. She put the whole load on her healthy shoulder and left the axe in her left hand.  
Nicole looked at the sky: it was about two o'clock in the afternoon, she still had two and a half hours before sunset.  
For safety's sake, she would return to the forest that night, away from everyone; usually on the third day she could control herself, but it was better not to take risks.  
She would have stayed close enough to the house, however, until the two boys had that nauseating smell, she would not have attacked them to eat them, but perhaps, to kill them, yes. Only then did Nicole realize that she hadn't eaten something decent for several days, this prolonged the healing time and obviously made her weak. The guys also had to eat something.

Nicole took a short time to get home, but before she cut the wood, it would have been better to warn they that she had returned; what a strange thing to do: warn someone to be back home.  
When she opened the door, she saw Sara pointing her gun at her, while John let slip a moan of anguish.  
\- Luckily it's you. - Sara said, lowering the weapon.  
John kept staring at her as if he had seen a ghost, no, better: a monster. Nicole understood that Sara had told him everything.  
\- I won't hurt you, boy. I promise. - Nicole said closing the door, so the cold wouldn't get in.  
The woman put the last piece of wood in the fireplace. - I'm going to cut the wood, then I'm going to hunt, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. -  
Another lament came out of John's lips: hearing her say "I'm hungry" was not reassuring.  
\- If it's okay with you, I'll cut the wood, so you'll have more time before the night falls. - Sara said as she got up.  
\- Thank you, this will help. - Nicole said.  
John stared at the two women, unable to speak.  
\- You stay here, let your leg rest. - Nicole said before leaving, followed by Sara.  
\- Did you bring all this wood? - Sara asked, surprise.  
\- Yes. Listen, I have to change my shape, but I won't hurt you. You have my word. -  
\- I trust you, soon John will trust you too, you'll see. - Sara smiled.  
Nicole nodded and went behind the house: she had to get undressed, she didn't want to rip off those clothes too.  
The giant red wolf stared at the clothes abandoned in the snow, tried to think about how to approach the girl without scaring her.  
It decided to take shoes and clothes with the mouth and bring them to Sara, so that she would understand that she was dealing with a being able to reason.  
Sara jumped in, when she saw the red wolf, coming out from around the corner of the house. - Wow! You looked smaller the last time. - she had a nervous laugh, while her hand touched the gun in her pocket: she was ready for anything.  
But, soon she was certain that the wolf was not going to attack: it approached slowly waving its tail.  
\- I'll take them and put them on there, okay? So they stay dry. - She said, taking the clothes off Nicole's fangs.- Good girl. - Sara smiled, caressing Nicole between her ears.  
 _This is ridiculous_ : Nicole thought, but she did nothing to avoid contact with the girl's hand.  
\- I'm sorry I hurt you, - she said, looking at the bloody hole, on Nicole's left shoulder.  
The wolf licked her hand, as if to reassure her and began to run towards the forest.

Nicole didn't take long to locate a deer, but she wasn't the only one to have seen it: a few meters away, in fact, there was a big white jaguar.  
The big carnivore didn't seem to have noticed her, and she couldn't growl without letting the deer escape.  
She had to use cunning: perhaps she could let the jaguar catch the prey for her, and then drive him away.   
It could work.  
Nicole watched the beast flatten out and saw the strong muscles stretching under the white fur.  
 _No, better the dogs._  
The eyes of the jaguar were glassy with concentration: it was about to attack.  
Without more hesitation, the beast attacked and the deer was caught by surprise, but it still had time to start running.  
 _Stupid kitten._  
Nicole followed the race, trying not to lose sight of them.  
The chase lasted no more than five hundred meters: the jaguar hit the back thigh of the deer with its paw, causing it to lose coordination; it jumped on it and sunk its teeth into the throat of the herbivore, to suffocate it.  
It was time.  
Nicole ran towards the two animals, beginning to growl threateningly.  
The jaguar growled in turn: it did not seem intent on giving up its prey so easily. Nicole could not blame the feline: it was not easy to get food.  
The two beasts studied for a few minutes, continuing to growl and show each other their teeth.  
The red wolf decided to make the first move and approached, growling louder and louder.  
The feline's eyes were even more glassy than before, the ears were pulled back: stuck to the head, like those of Nicole. A way to not get caught in battle: like the ancient Romans, who cut their hair very short, so as not to be grabbed by the enemy and let the throat cut.  
Nicole got closer and closer, she was wounded, but she remained much bigger and stronger than it.  
 _Go away, I know you don't want to face me._  
The jaguar seemed to read in her mind, because it let go the throat of the prey and began to retreat slowly, continuing to growl.  
 _Good kitty._  
The jaguar surrendered completely and ran away, disappearing in the forest.  
Nicole jumped on the deer, devouring the big muscular neck and the two front legs. When she had finished eating, she took off the two hind legs and ran home.

Nicole resumed her human form and, after dressing herself, took the thighs of the deer and entered into the house.  
Sara welcomed her again pointing her gun at her while John was asleep.  
\- I hope you can cook, because I can't cook and I don't have time. - Nicole whispered, so as not to wake John up.  
Sara looked with some perplexity at the two thighs that Nicole kept, just under the clogs. - Uhm... of course, thank you very much. You have, uhm, you have a little blood here. - She said, pointing to her own mouth.  
Nicole was tempted to clean herself with her sleeve, but she didn't want to dirty her shirt.  
\- I'm going out again, tomorrow morning I'll be here again. In case of danger, keep the gun ready and don't go out. I won't go too far. - Nicole said, while she was placing their dinner on the floor.  
\- Where are you going? -   
\- Not far, but I can't stay here tonight. -  
Sara wanted to know more, but decided that insisting wasn't good policy. - Thank you for everything. - Sara said, as Nicole went out again.


	17. Departure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys, I don't have anything special to say, just thanks for still being here with me <3

**17**

 

\- Well, now we can go home. - Said Wynonna, as she climbed up her old blue pik-up.  
\- I just hope that's enough. - Waverly commented, observing the contents of the small box: silver bullets.  
\- We'll try to avoid the clash as much as we can. - Wynonna replied, starting the engine.  
\- Wynonna... you think Nicole's still alive, right? - Waverly asked, keeping her gaze on the little box.  
Wynonna turned to look at her sister, - Nicole is a bad ass, I don't think she's alive, I'm sure she's alive. - She smiled.  
\- It's been almost eleven days... -  
\- Waverly, listen to me, if I wasn't sure that Nicole was alive, I'd never depart for that horrible place. Is that clear? Stop thinking negative, in a few hours you will see her with your own eyes and we will fill her with kisses and maybe even a few slaps, because she feels nothing. - Wynonna laughed, trying to reassure her sister.  
\- Thank you, Wynonna. - Waverly smiled at her sister, with gratitude.  
\- Doc should have managed to get the helicopter, when Jeremi comes back, we'll leave and everything will be fine, once back in Purgatory we should never hear about Nevesplendida again; never again. - 

 

-<>-<>-

 

\- Is everything ready? - Wynonna asked, sitting on the couch.  
\- Yes, we just have to wait for Jeremi, then we can leave. - Henry answered.  
\- I know I've asked you a hundred times before, but are you sure that your leg is well enough? - Wynonna asked, with apprehension.  
Henry jumped, - stronger than before. -  
Someone knocked on the door.  
\- I'll go. - Waverly said.  
\- Hey! Hi! - Jeremi came in, greeting those present.  
\- I was afraid you wouldn't come anymore. - Waverly said, inviting him in.  
\- I'm a man of honor. - Jeremi replied, placing a huge black bag on the ground. - In here, there is everything I've managed to take and that will be useful to you. -  
\- Will we need it? - Wynonna asked.   
\- I can't go with you. I thought that was clear. If they discover that I've done something like this, they'll kill me. - Jeremi answered by looking at everyone present.  
Wynonna was going to say something, but Waverly was faster: - we understand, don't worry, but you'll have to be very precise, in explaining, how to get there. -  
\- Sure, I'll explain everything now. - He said, beginning to pull out the contents of the bag.  
\- On this GPS is marked the path, when you're ready to go, just turn it on, it's big, I know, but it's the most accurate model. - He said, handing Henry a big tablet.  
\- This instead will help you to track the plane and Nicole, both have a micro cip. - He said pulling out a spherical object with a green screen. - It works within thirty miles, a real jewel. -  
\- Nicole's got a micro cip? - Waverly asked.  
\- Yes, I planted it myself, it's at the base of her nape, when you've found her, it would be better to remove it or they'll continue to find her. -  
The three nodded.  
\- Here are also some firearms and some silver bullets, make good use of them. -  
\- Aren't they going to notice this stuff's gone? - Wynonna asked, perplexed.  
\- It's all stuff confiscated, it'll take years to notice, that's all I could do. - Jeremi said.  
\- If for some reason we were to meet the man who was with you the night you took Nicole away, what should we do? - Henry asked.  
\- It will have to seem like your initiative, if you name me, I am a dead man. -  
\- All clear. -  
\- The last three things: we could not communicate; My brother is my copy in high and muscular version, if he is alone, you can tell him that I am involved in this story; Third and last thing: Nevesplendida is an island, the only way to get there or leave it is in flight, the currents are so strong that even the largest ships dare to sail there. -  
The three of them looked at him perplexed, - an island? How did we not notice it before? - Henry asked.  
\- Maybe because of the fog that hides the island. I wish you luck, you'll need it. -  
\- Thanks for everything. - They said, as Jeremi disappeared through the door.

Waverly ran to her room: she wore Nicole's shirt under her jacket and took the dagger, slipping it into her belt.

\- Do we have everything? - Wynonna asked and drove the van.  
Henry and Waverly nodded.  
\- Where do I have to go? - Wynonna asked, starting the engine.  
\- At the old runway, the one abandoned north of here. - Henry replied, they had preferred to keep the place of departure secret, for fear that someone was listening and spying on them.  
\- Let's go then. -

The helicopter was black and shiny, much bigger than what Wynonna and Waverly had expected.  
\- Wow! Can you get this giant to fly? - Waverly asked; she and Doc hadn't talked about their discussion yet, but they both seemed to have forgiven each other already.  
\- Misery! I've flown much bigger things. - Henry had a laugh.  
\- My hero. - Wynonna commented, kissing Henry's lips.

\- The night will hide our flight, at least until we're over the ocean. - He said by putting himself at the command post.  
Doc turned on the GPS. - Prepare for takeoff! - He screamed to overwhelm the noise of the airplane's blades.

 

 


	18. An unpleasant visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains scenes of violence that could disturb someone.
> 
> Remember to let me know what you think, you make me happy, It doesn't take much to make me happy xD

**18**

 

 

\- How many days has it been? - Sara asked, as she bit the flesh in front of her.  
\- Maybe ten, I lost count. - John answered. He and Nicole had made progress: he was no longer jolting when Nicole came back, but he was avoiding being alone with her.  
Nicole sat with her arms crossed and watched them eat.  
\- Someone will come looking for us, sooner or later. - Sara commented.  
\- I hope not, I feel sorry for you guys, but I hope that no one will return to this place, unless it is an army armed to the teeth of silver. - Nicole commented.  
\- You're not wrong, Nicole, but I would really like to see my family again. - John said.  
\- Me too, my little sister will be worried to death. - Sara added.  
Nicole stood up and went to the little window.  
\- I'm sorry, did we say something wrong? - Sara asked, worried.  
\- I feel observed. - Nicole answered, without taking her eyes off the window.  
\- Again? You've been saying that for over a week. - Said John.  
Nicole growled, annoyed, - I say it because I've been feeling observed ever since I came back. -  
\- You're right, I'm sorry. - John was scared: he was afraid Nicole might bite him.  
\- It's okay, boy. - Nicole said. - Finish your dinner and let's go to sleep, I want to turn off the light. -  
The two guys nodded and started eating faster.

-<>-<>-

 

\- We should be almost there, according to the GPS, about 50 kilometers away. We should arrive before dawn. - Henry screamed, studying the screen of the tablet.- We're coming, Nicole. - Waverly whispered, no one heard her: the sound of the plane covered everything.

Not much time passed, and the detector began to blink.  
\- Guys! I think we are close, this one found something! - Wynonna screamed, looking at the green screen, on which a yellow dot was flashing.  
\- I turn on the lights! - Henry screamed.  
Below them, a vast sea of fog: Jeremi was right, it was not possible to clearly distinguish the end of the ocean and the beginning of the mainland.  
\- Hold on tight, I must lower, praying not to hit any trees. - Henry said, as he lowered the lever, and the nose of the helicopter was pointing downward.  
The sun came out on the horizon as the helicopter passed the court of fog and flew over the treetops.  
\- I think we found the plane, the yellow dot got bigger! - Wynonna screamed.  
\- I'm looking for a place to land! I want it to be in a fairly hidden place! - Henry began to look around. - I think I see where the plane fell! Further on there's a clearing! -

\- Okay, the plane is less than a mile that way. - Henry said, as the helicopter blades stopped. - We take weapons and bullets, the rest we leave here, I don't think anyone will be able to find it. -  
The three of them got off the plane and started walking towards the plane.

The closer the group got to the point where the plane had fallen, the more restless Waverly became: she didn't know how she would react, if they found Nicole's body.

\- It's practically destroyed... - Waverly commented, observing what was left of the plane.  
\- I'm going to take a look inside, you stay here. - Henry said trying to get in through the sheet metal, crumpled and blackened by the fire.  
Waverly approached her sister, she held her under her arm, holding her to herself. - Everything will be fine. - She whispered.  
Henry re-emerged a few minutes later. - There's a burned corpse, but I think it was the pilot. - He said it quickly, before the two women thought it was Nicole.  
\- Where are the others? - Wynonna asked.  
Henry raised his shoulders. - There are claw marks and a few bloodstains, but nothing more. -  
\- Let's see if we can find any prints. - Wynonna said.  
But they couldn't find anything, probably more snow had fallen, covering everything.  
\- Try to reset that radar, maybe Nicole's signal is covered by that of the plane, if Nicole is less than thirty miles from here, we'll find her. - Waverly said, now that she knew Nicole wasn't in there, she felt better.  
Wynonna nodded, - good idea. - She said, getting a few feet away from the plane.  
\- I know where Nicole is! - She screamed, unable to hold back the joy; a second, smaller yellow dot had appeared on the radar.  
\- It will be about fifteen kilometers from here. - Henry started studying the screen.  
\- What are we waiting for? Let's go! - Waverly exclaimed, eager to see Nicole again.  
The three of them walked for almost three hours, the high snow prevented them from moving quickly.  
They stopped when, in the distance, they heard gunshots.

-<>-<>-

 

The sun was shining in the sky when Sara and John woke up.  
\- Tonight, it was really cold. - Sara commented, massaging her arms.  
\- I'm sorry, but at one point I let the fire go out, I still have a bad feeling. - Nicole answered.  
\- Don't worry, we're fine. - Sara smiled while John yawned loudly.  
\- I was waiting for you to wake up before I went out to look for more wood. - Nicole said, - for now this should be enough to warm you up a bit. - She said, starting to light the fireplace.  
\- I'm hungry like a wolf... I'm sorry for the joke. - Said John.  
Nicole turned to him, hinting at a smile.  
\- There is still some meat. - Sara said, while she was lighting the oil lamp.  
\- With all the iron in my blood, I will have to stay away from the magnets. - John joked.  
\- You woke up in a good mood, I see. - Sara commented, amused.  
\- Yes, despite the cold, I slept well and even had a beautiful dream. -  
\- What did you dream about? - Sara asked, intrigued.  
\- I dreamt that I was on an island, in a tropical country and there were so many beautiful girls taking care of me. - John smiled at the memory.  
\- Men... - Sara commented.  
\- Really a beautiful dream. - Nicole said. The two looked at her for a moment, surprised, then they laughed.  
The smile disappeared from Nicole's face when someone knocked on the door.  
\- Stay behind me. - Nicole whispered, starting to undress, staying in her bra and boxer.  
Sara took the gun and stood in front of John, nodded to Nicole.  
Nicole slowly approached the door. - Who's there? -  
In response, someone kept knocking insistently.  
Nicole growled loudly, to warn the intruder that she was ready to fight.  
But the hits continued.

The woman opened the door and the blood froze in her veins: in front of her there was a tall and muscular man, he had a thick black beard and a scar under his right eye.  
\- Not a move, baby, or I'll shoot you. They are silver bullets. - Said the man raising the gun.  
Nicole began to growl more and more loudly as her right eye swung between blue and brown. - What do you want? -  
\- I want the two guys with you, if you turn or attack, I'll kill you. - He said, his tone was calm and relaxed, as if they were talking while they were taking tea. - You know you can't defeat me, your left eye is proof of that. - He smiled.  
\- Nicole? - Sara didn't understand what was going on.  
\- Stay there. - Nicole growled, without taking her eyes off her father.  
\- I suggest you put that gun down, or my ways will no longer be kind. - He said, turning to Sara, he could clearly see the inside of the house: he was much taller than Nicole, a real giant.  
The girl obeyed and threw the gun on the couch.  
\- Good girl, now tie you and your friend to these. - He said throwing handcuffs inside.  
\- I won't let you take them. - Nicole growled, more and more threatening.  
\- Do you really think you can stop me? - He seemed amused. - Put those cuffs on and come here! - He ordered.  
\- This time I will have no mercy on you, I will kill you! - Nicole's eyes began to shine blue with greater intensity.  
\- You know it won't happen. - He said, as Sara and John tied their wrists together.  
Nicole growled louder, ready to transform, but a bullet pierced her abdomen. Nicole fell, screaming on her knees, but kept growling.  
\- Nicole!!! - The guys screamed.  
\- Come here or I'll kill her. - He said, keeping a calm tone, almost flat. The two boys began to walk towards him, but Nicole got up trying to hit him, the man did not hesitate to shoot a second time, piercing Nicole's chest. The woman fell to the ground, screaming and growling with pain.  
\- Please, I beg you, we will come with you, but leave her alone! - Sara screamed in tears.  
\- Move. - He ordered.  
The two boys climbed over Nicole's body: she was twisting, immersed in her blood.  
The man grabbed the chain of handcuffs, seemed ready to leave, but Nicole's voice stopped him.  
\- I'll kill you! - She threatened, trying to stay upright, slowly advancing toward him.  
\- This is for your insolence, goodbye my daughter. - He fired again and the third bullet penetrated Nicole's abdomen again; the woman fell into the snow and never moved again.  
The man looked at her for a few seconds, then he carried the two screaming boys on his shoulders and began to run towards the forest, disappearing inside it.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering if I like seeing Nicole get hurt, the answer is yes. But she's still my favorite character.  
> I'm sorry, I'm not sorry.


	19. She can't die

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short, but contains many descriptions that could hurt some of you, I tried not to exaggerate, but I think the content is strong enough.

**19**

 

Waverly, Wynonna and Doc began to run, fighting against the high snow: the three shots came from the position, where, surely, there was Nicole.  
\- I recognize this place! We are close to Nicole's house! - Waverly said, trying not to stumble into the snow, which reached above her knee.  
\- Yes, we're almost there, I hope she was the one who shot. - Wynonna said.  
Waverly had a moment of confusion: was there any chance that, hadn't Nicole been the one shooting?  
She started running even faster, ignoring the pain in her muscles caused by the effort.  
Waverly was at the head of the group, so she was the first to see what she never wanted to see.  
\- Nicole!!! - She screamed, running towards Nicole's martyred body: the snow around her was red: stained by the blood that kept coming out of her body, copious and unstoppable.  
Nicole was motionless, her face immersed in the snow, did not seem to breathe.  
Waverly knelt near Nicole's body and turned her over. - She's not breathing! O my God! Help me, she's not breathing! -  
She screamed, desperate.  
\- Shit, Nicole! - Wynonna rushed over Nicole's body, and put two fingers on the carotid artery, - the heart is beating! - She covered Nicole's nose and began to breathe mouth-to-mouth. - Breathe damn it! - She screamed, starting to blow air into her lungs again.  
\- She's losing too much blood. - Doc said, while he and Waverly were trying to tamponade the three holes in her body.  
\- I can't get her to breathe alone... - Wynonna said.  
\- Please, I beg you, keep giving her oxygen! - Waverly shouted.  
\- She's too weak... - Wynonna answered, looking at Nicole's pale face.  
\- She can't die! Put your hands on the wound! - Waverly screamed, taking Wynonna's place and beginning to blow into Nicole's mouth.  
\- Maybe she has some silver in her body. - Doc said, turning Nicole's body around to look at her back. - A bullet didn't come out! We have to get it out, my hands are too big! - He said, agitated.  
\- I'll take care of it...- Wynonna pulled a knife out of her belt, to cut the swelling of skin, under which there was the bullet. - It doesn't cut, I can't cut her skin... - Wynonna lowered the knife.  
Waverly twisted to blow once more into Nicole's lungs, then pulled Nicole's knife out, - use this, I can't do that. - She said, handing the dagger to Wynonna. The woman took it and finally the skin opened under the silver blade. Wynonna slipped her fingers into Nicole's flesh, trying to grab the bullet.  
\- The bleeding stopped. - Doc felt the pressure of the blood, under his hands, decrease.  
\- She has lost too much blood and has not breathed independently for too long... - Wynonna said, helping Doc to turn Nicole's body back.  
\- She can't die! - Waverly shouted, starting again with artificial respiration.  
Wynonna and Doc took a look at each other: a conscious look.  
\- Don't do that! She's not dead! She can't die! - Waverly cried as the tears clouded her sight.  
\- React Nicole! Can you hear me? Please, breathe! - Waverly began to hit Nicole's chest.  
\- It's too late... - Wynonna tried to stop Waverly, but she freed herself from her sister's hold. - It's not too late! She will not die, I will not allow it! - She screamed, starting to hit Nicole's chest again. - React! Don't leave me! You can't leave me, you understand? Nicole! -  
A kind of wheeze came out of Nicole's mouth.  
\- Her lungs are full of blood! - Waverly turned Nicole's body on its side and began to hit her chest and back again, in an attempt to drain the fluid.  
Nicole began to spit blood, lots of blood.  
\- Brava, so baby, breathe! -  
Wynonna joined her sister until Nicole began to cough and breathe.  
\- Yes, so my love, so! - Waverly, helped by Wynonna, sat Nicole, she was still unconscious, but now she was breathing.  
\- There's a sign there. - Doc said, looking behind the three women.   
On the snow there was an inscription, mixed with blood, written: Sara John.

 


	20. Her empty gaze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even in this chapter, there's something that might bother you.
> 
> Initially, this was not planned, but I changed a bit of things, because I was not convinced of what I had written.  
> You can tell me anything, if you tell me something, anything, I'm happy ;)

**20**

 

They had transported Nicole's body into the house; it too, full of blood.  
They disinfected and bandaged Nicole's wounds and put her on the sofa.  
\- She was clearly not alone here. - Doc commented, looking around. - Nicole tried to make us understand that the two guys were with her, even if I have difficulty believing it; how the hell did they get back here? -  
\- If Sara and John are really here, we'll find them, but first, Nicole needs to regain her strength. - Waverly said, caressing Nicole's hair, - only with her, we have some chance of finding them. -  
\- Waverly, we also need to consider the option of Nicole not recovering. - Wynonna spoke softly, a whispered barely audible.  
The girl turned to her sister, her eyes were full of tears, - don't say that... you don't have to say it... -  
\- Listen, I only want you to be ready for this; Nicole is very weak, she has lost almost all the blood she had, the silver has remained in her body for a long time and ... -  
\- Don't say anything anymore... Even before you wanted to give up, but she started breathing again, Nicole is strong, she will not die. -  
\- Waves... -  
\- No! I will not allow her to die! - She shouted, bursting into tears, - I can't lose her... -  
\- I'm going outside. I've seen some prints. Maybe I can understand more. - Henry said, putting on his cowboy hat.  
\- Don't go too far, we'll stay with Nicole. - Wynonna said.  
The man nodded and went out.

Doc came back less than half an hour later. He said that there were certainly three other people with Nicole, then the tracks became one person, who certainly carried the other two.  
Wynonna and Henry had gone out again, to look for some wood to put in the fireplace; Waverly had insisted that her sister also go out with Doc: she would defend Nicole; and Wynonna Henry.

Waverly knelt next to Nicole for hours, listening to her weak and wheezing breath. Sometimes, it became a wheeze, and a violent cough shaken her whole body.  
\- You will not die... I won't let you do it. - She whispered in Nicole's ear, continuing to caress her face and hair.   
The contrast between Nicole's bright red hair and her white face kept reminding Waverly of the blood on the snow. - I won't let you die... -  
Suddenly, Nicole began to wheeze, as if breathing was too painful and tiring, her body began to tremble, shaken by violent spasms.  
\- No, no, no... - Waverly tried to keep Nicole's body still: she was afraid she would get hurt, she was probably going into shock.  
\- Hold on, baby, please... - Nicole's body was very hot, like when she had turned, for the first time, into a clearing with Waverly.  
Nicole twisted and continued to cough, it seemed that the air could no longer reach her lungs.  
\- Please, hold on... - Waverly pleaded, trying to keep her still.  
Nicole fell off the couch: Waverly couldn't resist the force of Nicole's muscle spasms. From her mouth, a dark and dense liquid began to come out: blood.  
\- What's happening to you...? - Waverly didn't know what to do, she could only look at the woman she had fallen in love with, twisting on the ground, in agony.  
As it began, it ended: Nicole remained motionless.  
\- Tell me you're alive. - Waverly knelt next to Nicole, hesitated a few seconds: she could no longer hear her breath: she feared that Nicole ... could not even conclude the thought. - Tell me you're alive... - She repeated.  
But just as Waverly was about to bend over her, Nicole opened her eyes: she stared at her, but seemed not to see her. In her eyes there was something different, even the eye of the beast, it was different, in that look there was something that Waverly had never seen in Nicole: peace.  
\- Nicole...? - She asked by touching her shoulder.  
Nicole didn't answer: she kept staring at her, without really looking at her.  
Waverly had begun to think that Nicole had died, and that the last spasms had made her open her eyes.  
\- Nicole? - Waverly didn't have the courage to touch her.   
A moment later, Nicole closed and reopened her eyes, continuing to stare at Waverly.  
\- You're alive! Oh, my God! You're alive! - Waverly began to cry and laugh, together, pulling up Nicole's body and hugging her. - I knew you were strong, I knew it! - She cried, letting Nicole's hair tickle her face.  
Nicole remained helpless, inside Waverly's embrace.  
\- Can you get up? You'll feel better on the couch. -  
But Nicole didn't answer.  
\- What's wrong, Nicole? Why don't you answer me? - Waverly looked at her face: it had regained colour. - Nicole...? -   
She wasn't responding.  
\- You're scaring me... -   
Nothing.  
Waverly took Nicole from under her armpits and pulled her up: she was much lighter than when Waverly thought.  
The girl sat down next to Nicole, - baby... - she took Nicole's hand; the woman slowly turned her head, but her look was empty. From a corner of her mouth, a saliva stream slid.  
\- Nicole... come back to me... - Waverly leaned against Nicole's naked and hot shoulder, letting the tears flow.

Wynonna and Henry came back, almost an hour later. Henry stayed outside, cutting wood.   
Wynonna hesitated before opening the door: she was afraid that Nicole had died while they were away.  
When she came home, she saw Nicole and Waverly sitting on the couch, she was about to scream with joy, but something, on their faces, blocked her.  
\- Waves...? - She asked as she approached.  
Waverly looked at her, stood up slowly and leaned in Wynonna's chest.   
The woman didn't understand; Nicole seemed to be in a trance: her eyes were open and she breathed slowly, but there was something wrong: her gaze continued to stare at where Waverly was before she got up.  
\- Her brain has been without oxygen for too long, she has brain damage... - Waverly burst into tears while Wynonna couldn't react. - She will never return as she was before. -  
\- Nicole... - Tears began to fall from Wynonna's eyes, - fate was too cruel to her, this is worse than death... - She said, holding her sister tight.

 

 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not a story about ponies and flowers, it is a bad and cruel story; like the life.
> 
> I know you hate me, but I know what I'm doing.  
>  I think...


	21. Looking at your face, not remembering your name

**21**

 

\- Nicole, honey...? - Wynonna approached Nicole. The woman turned her head and stared at her.  
\- It's all useless, you can't joke with the brain... - Waverly said, wiping her tears.  
\- Nicole is not a normal human being; being pessimistic is my move. - Wynonna kept getting closer to Nicole.  
\- I don't have the courage to hope. - Waverly admitted, looking at Nicole.  
Wynonna sat on the couch next to Nicole; she followed her with her eyes.  
\- Nicole, do you recognize me? Do you recognize that girl? - She asked, pointing to Waverly. Nicole followed Wynonna's finger, stared intensely at Waverly for a few seconds, then came back to look at Wynonna, shook her head and smiled.  
\- She's more receptive than before, isn't she? - Waverly asked, surprised by the woman's sentient response. She approached the two women, but stayed a few steps away: seeing Nicole in those conditions broke her heart.  
\- Do you remember your name? - She asked again, Wynonna.  
Nicole looked at her: she had a peaceful and relaxed look, then shook her head.  
\- Waves, come here. I know it hurts, but I don't think everything is lost. - Wynonna said, holding out her hand to Waverly.  
The girl hesitated a few moments, then took Wynonna's hand and knelt in front of Nicole.  
The woman looked at her, smiling at her.  
\- Stay with her, I'll go and warn Henry. - Wynonna said, before getting up, she caressed Nicole's face.

Waverly sat down next to Nicole; one part of her was happy, seeing so much peace in her eyes, the other part, instead, was full of pain and anger, pain and anger at the humiliation of the state in which Nicole was: a woman so strong, smart and brave, reduced to smiling like a fool; it really hurt.  
Waverly stared at the woman, who in turn looked at her, curious.  
Nicole raised her hand and touched Waverly's face; the girl broke and began to cry, quietly.  
\- I will find who did this to you, I will hurt him; so much hurt. - Waverly whispered, her voice was full of anger.  
Nicole smiled, tracing the features of Waverly's face with her finger.  
The red-haired woman approached Waverly and began to smell her, the girl was surprised and for a moment, for a brief moment, she was afraid.  
\- I can't remember your name, but I know that you're mine. -  
Waverly looked at her with her eyes wide open with surprise.  
\- Nicole? -  
The woman didn't answer and kept looking at her.  
\- I didn't imagine it, did I? Did you speak? - Waverly felt weird: happy, angry, scared and euphoric, all together, - You talked to me, right? - She asked, taking Nicole's face in her hands. - Talk to me again, Nicole, talk to me. -  
But the woman only looked at her, sweetly.  
Waverly hugged Nicole, - fight, Nicole, don't give up... - she implored.

Wynonna and Henry, came home.  
\- She talked to me! She talked! - Waverly exclaimed, without leaving Nicole.  
\- I'm happy... - Wynonna smiled at her sister.  
\- I'll take Miss Nicole and bring her home, warn someone to take care of her; I'll be gone for a day at the most. - Henry said.  
Waverly looked with surprise at her sister and Henry, but could not speak.  
\- We think that Nicole is not safe here, not in those conditions, this is not her war. She's done too much, and it's time for her to have some peace. - Wynonna explained.  
Waverly didn't know how to react.  
\- You can go with her, I think you should do it, I'll wait here, then Henry and I will go and look for the two guys; the footprints go towards the forest, and there's only one place they can go to: the laboratory. -  
Nicole began to growl, perhaps reacting to the sound of those words.  
\- What's going on, Nicole? - Waverly moved away slightly: she didn't know how Nicole could react in those conditions. But the woman's face had already returned relaxed.  
\- I think she reacted like that, for the name of that place. - Waverly explained. - Anyway I'm staying here, I can't leave Wynonna alone in this place, it's hard, but if she's safe, it's fine for me. - Waverly declared.  
\- Are you sure? - Wynonna asked.  
\- Yes, it's enough for me that you are safe, all of you, no one should be left alone. And I am so grateful to you for deciding this for Nicole: she is a strong resource, but she is also a person and has already suffered too much. - Waverly said, looking at the two of them.  
Wynonna and Hery nodded.  
\- We leave now, I can carry Miss Nicole on my shoulders. - Henry said.  
\- You have about four hours of light, do you think you can do it? - Wynonna asked.  
\- Following the path we took when we arrived, I'll take a lot less time. - Henry said.  
\- Nicole is light: I even managed to lift it. - Waverly added.  
\- Then it's decided. - Henry approached Nicole and took off his hat, - Miss Nicole, I'll hold you now, but I won't hurt you, okay? -  
Nicole looked at him with curiosity, then she smiled at him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the next chapter, my choices will make sense, I promise. I never do anything at random ;)  
> But you can keep hating me, if you want xD
> 
> You: I don't care if this makes sense, you can't do this to her!  
> Me: It was necessary, trust me. Then you'll understand everything ;)


	22. Sabotage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for being here, you're getting so many, I start to have performance anxiety! xD  
> Enjoy this new chapter and let me know what you think.

**22**

 

Henry walked at a fast pace, Waverly was right: Nicole was really light, he had the impression of having a simple backpack, on his shoulders, and not a woman of one meter and eighty.  
\- I don't know if you understand me, but I'll tell you anyway: you're a feather, Miss Nicole. -  
From Nicole's mouth came a puff of air, it could be a demonstration of fun, and so the understanding Doc. - I knew it, gay or heterosexual, women can not resist such compliments. - He smiled under his moustache.  
He tried not to feel alone, in that huge forest, on another occasion, probably, he would have been silent.  
\- If you find me inappropriate, tell me, but know that I am married, happily married. - He said laughing.  
\- I would have liked to carry you in my arms: like you did with me, remember, Miss Nicole? -   
Nicole held the grip around Henry's neck, but it was a calculated grip, there was no intention of hurting.  
\- I'll take that as a yes. - He smiled.  
\- This forest gives me the creeps; when all this is over, I could write a story for my grandchildren, maybe omitting some bloody detail, but all in all, I think it would be nice as a story, what do you think, Miss Nicole? - He asked.  
A few minutes passed and Nicole began to growl, it didn't last long, only a few seconds.  
\- When you come back to yourself, you'll make me pay, I've been logorrhoic. You're right. -   
\- I think you and Wynonna's sister are serious about this, aren't you? I'm happy for you two, you're a good girl, and so is Waverly. -  
Henry felt Nicole's body stiffening against his own, then relaxing.  
\- Is it the name? Waverly. - Doc asked, and Nicole's body stiffened again.  
\- Yeah, as I imagined. - He smiled.

Henry tried to keep quiet on the way, but sometimes he felt the need to talk to Nicole.  
\- About ten more minutes and we'll be at the helicopter. You'll probably get very angry when you discover that we've brought you back, so, don't get me wrong, I hope you'll get your head back when I leave. If your fury is only half that of my wife, well, save who can, that you are also a werewolf, poor me. - The man had a laugh, a nervous laugh: he didn't like the forest and having Nicole out of action, didn't reassure him.

-<><>-

 

Wynonna was sitting on the couch, with Waverly holding her head on her sister's legs.  
\- It all happened so fast... I don't know if taking Nicole away was the right decision. -  
\- Henry and I, we thought it was the best thing: Nicole can no longer fight our war. We are military, it is our duty, to protect life: Sara and John were under our responsibility, we were the guard, we must bring them home. - Wynonna said, playing with a strand of Waverly's hair.  
\- I know, but looking at her like that hurt me so much: I felt dirty and tremendously sad and angry. And now I feel like I've abandoned her again. But I couldn't leave you here alone, it wouldn't have been right, Nicole wouldn't have done it.   
I couldn't even look at her, it was something so wrong. -  
\- It's normal, baby, it's not easy to see such a thing, especially if it's a person you respect, admire or love. -  
\- I'm afraid Nicole's never coming back the way she was. This terrifies me, I don't know if I'll be able to be near her, I'm afraid to abandon her, I know she sounds horrible, but it's the truth. -  
\- I can't judge you, neither do I know how I would react if something like this happened to Henry; the first instinct is to say: I'll stay by his side and I'll love him, as I've always loved him, but the truth is that none of us, knows the answer. We are human beings: fragile human beings. -

The two women remained silent for a few minutes, watching the fire, swinging brightly, in the fireplace.  
\- You asked yourself: why did Nicole leave that inscription on the snow? No one, apart from us, could have known who those two guys are, and no inhabitant of the village would ever have approached here. -  
\- Maybe Nicole smelled us, had a feeling or was it a gesture without logic, made only out of despair. I don't know how to answer. - Waverly answered, in all that confusion, had not found time to think about it.  
\- You fell in love with her, didn't you? - Wynonna asked, without warning.  
Waverly hesitated a few moments, surprised by the question. - Yes, I think I fell in love with her, perhaps, from the moment I saw her for the first time. -  
\- Nicole is a beautiful woman, really very beautiful and I think she can also be considered charming, but after discovering what she was, did you not waver? You didn't ask yourself: what the hell am I doing? -  
\- No, I didn't think of that. Nicole never gave me any reason not to trust her, when I'm with her, I feel safe. She has that particular way of looking at you; the movement she makes with her eyebrows or the way she just opens her mouth when you talk to her: she seems to listen to you, to really listen to you and everything else disappears. When she hugs me, she does it gently, there is no malice in the way she touches me, it makes me feel special, as if I were the only one in the world. So no, I don't care if Nicole is a werewolf, I don't care if she killed, I don't care if at every full moon she becomes a beast with no mind, I don't care.   
Why did you ask me this? -  
\- I'm your big sister. - Wynonna replied.  
\- I love her, and I wish I could love her forever. -  
\- Nicole is strong, the strongest, most stubborn woman I've ever met. And her DNA is special, you saw her with your own eyes: she was already better when she and Henry left. -  
\- Part of me thought it was better this way for Nicole, in her eyes there was no more trace of pain: vanished. Until that darkness disappeared, I didn't really notice it, but now her eyes are completely different, even when she smiled, in her eyes there was that darkness. -  
\- That's true: Nicole suffered so much, but I think that she prefers suffering to that oblivion, because among all that pain there is also you, and you make her happy. -  
\- You make me cry so... - Waverly whispered, touched by her sister's words.  
\- Come here. - Wynonna said, drawing Waverly into a hug.

-<><>-

 

Nicole started growling again.  
\- This time I shut up, why are you growling, Miss Nicole? - Henry was afraid that she would feel something invisible to him.  
\- Are you trying to tell me something? -   
But Nicole continued to growl, increasing the grip around Henry's neck, but being careful not to hurt him.  
\- I have my two revolvers with me: they are loaded, if something attacks us, I will defend you, I promise. -  
Nicole's growling got lower, till it stopped.  
\- I'm glad to have your trust, Miss Nicole. We're almost there. -

Henry entered the clearing and with relief, saw that the helicopter was still there. " Why shouldn't it be there," he said to himself. - I have the three keys to get it started. -  
Nicole growled again, briefly.  
\- You may have realized we're leaving, but don't worry, Wynonna's with her, and I'll be back tomorrow morning. This jewel is pretty fast. - He said, caressing the black body. Only then did he notice something: a sheet of paper attached to the seat.  
\- I'll put you down. - Henry said, bending over, to get Nicole off his shoulders, the woman let go of her grip and sat on the snow.  
\- What the hell are you. - Doc opened the door of the vehicle and took the piece of paper.  
"No fuel, no flying."  
\- Are you kidding me?! - Henry jumped on the helicopter and inserted the three keys.  
\- Fuck! Misery! Shit! - He shouted, when the panel turned on, pointing out that the fuel was almost exhausted: it wouldn't even be enough for a five-minute flight. - Fuck! Damn it! Misery! Who the fuck did this?! - He shouted at the trees.  
\- What's going on, Henry? -  
\- Someone sucked up the fuel and even took the two spare tanks, Misery! Someone doesn't want us to leave... wait a second... - Henry came out of the vehicle and looked at Nicole, who was staring at him.  
The man continued to stare at the red-haired woman: he could no longer speak.  
\- Did you use all your words during the trip? - Nicole asked, crossing her arms, a smile appeared on her lips.  
Henry's ice-colored eyes remained fixed on the woman's face, he was so confused that he didn't know how to react.  
\- I don't really know what I'm doing here, the last memory is that of someone knocking on my door, then I found myself on your shoulders, while I was listening to your endless monologues, the one confused is me, Henry. What the hell are you doing here? -  
\- Miss Nicole... - He just managed to say.  
\- Mr Henry... would you be kind enough to answer me? I'm really confused. -  
The man jumped down and hugged Nicole, lifting her, - Misery! Miss Haught! - Now he was laughing.  
\- Henry! - Nicole expected anything except to be raised like a child by her daddy. - Do you want to explain? - Nicole also began to laugh, influenced by the joy of the man.  
\- Waverly will be so happy and so will Wynonna! - He said, putting her down.  
\- Are they here too? - Nicole asked, alarmed.  
\- Yes, and perhaps they are in danger, someone is trying to hinder us. -  
\- All right, let's not waste time. Where are they? -  
\- At your house. -  
\- All right, hop on my back, we'll be there in under 20 minutes. You'll explain during the run. Ah, and I was growling because there are three chimeras trying to surround us. -  
\- Holy misery... - Henry didn't waste time and without too many stories he jumped on Nicole's shoulders.  
\- Hold on tight! - Nicole started running.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a little crazy, but I wouldn't have wasted a character like Nicole. Too versatile and complex, one of the most successful characters, that actress Kat Barrell knows how to maximize.  
> I needed a plausible excuse to get someone back to the helicopter.  
> Now you can stop hating me :)


	23. Nonsense

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this chapter might like you, I hope xD

**23**

 

Wynonna and Waverly were still on the couch when they heard someone knocking on the door.  
The two women stood up, retrieving their weapons and pointing them at the door.  
\- Who is there? - Wynonna shouted.  
\- It's Henry, I'm coming in. - He answered.  
\- Fuck, I'm scared... - Wynonna commented.  
Henry entered the house.  
\- Where's Nicole? What happened? Why didn't you leave? - Waverly was a river in flood.  
Henry got his hands up, - I'll explain everything now. - On his face there was a strange smile.  
At that moment, Nicole appeared on the threshold.  
Waverly and Wynonna stared at the red-haired woman, she sketched a smile, - hey... -  
Waverly dropped her rifle on the couch and, as her eyes filled with tears, she began to run towards Nicole, literally jumping into her arms.  
\- It's okay, I'm here... - Nicole whispered in Waverly's hair, the girl cried and hiccups so loud that she couldn't speak.  
Wynonna remained motionless, unable to take her eyes off Nicole.  
\- I am so happy to see you again, even though I told you not to come back here. - Nicole said, continuing to keep Waverly close to herself; the girl had clung to Nicole, clutching her with her legs and arms.  
\- Empty head... - Wynonna whispered.  
\- Aren't you going to say hello? - Nicole smiled at Wynonna.  
The woman put the gun on the ground and began to approach Nicole, the woman released one arm, holding Waverly with the other, and embraced Wynonna.

Nicole got on the couch, Waverly got on her knees: she had no intention of breaking away from Nicole.  
\- You gave us a big scare. - Wynonna said, sitting next to her.  
\- I'm sorry. Henry told me what happened, but I can't remember who did this to me, but I suspect it. -  
\- Do you think of anyone in particular? - Waverly asked, without taking her head off Nicole's neck.  
\- Yes, I think of the scientist. - Nicole answered.  
\- Do you think your father did this? Why kidnap Sara and John? And try to kill you? -  
Nicole stiffened herself violently.  
Waverly took care of it, explaining:  
\- Wynonna knows everything I know: I told her everything. - Waverly said, continuing to keep her face hidden in Nicole's neck. The girl felt Nicole's body, relaxing slightly.  
\- I have no idea, but it's the only one I can think of. Sara and John told me that he left them alive on purpose: he wanted to attract more people. But Waverly was only seen as food... something is escaping me. - Nicole said, thoughtful.  
\- Maybe he kidnapped them again, to attract us to him, but why? And how did he know that others had arrived in Nevesplendida? - Henry asked.  
\- Probably someone had been spying on me for days: I kept feeling observed, but I didn't see anyone. - Nicole answered.  
\- You didn't leave, because Nicole came back... Nicole? - Waverly asked.  
\- No, someone stole the fuel from the helicopter. They left a note, but I don't know who the guilty is. - Henry answered.  
\- Damn it! - Wynonna shook her head.  
\- I can think of something I hadn't thought of, but first I have to ask you something: Did you find the plane? - Nicole asked.  
\- Yes, but only the pilot was inside, and we know there were four of you on that plane. - Henry said.  
\- Actually, six, even Sara and John were on the plane, they were parachuted before the crash. -  
Everyone looked at Nicole with perplexity.  
\- This doesn't make sense... - Wynonna commented.  
\- Now that I'm sure those two are still alive, I can tell you what I think, however absurd. -  
\- We're listening, Nicole. - Wynonna said.  
Nicole nodded and took a few seconds to tidy up the ideas; - I think they let me intentionally transform myself, I know it's absurd, but I kept telling them I was sick, but no precautions were taken. I woke up in the forest and saw the smoke from the plane. -  
\- I don't understand anything. This doesn't make sense. Why bring the two guys back here too? Why risk their lives like that. Nothing makes sense. And what role do they play in all this and where the hell are they now? - Wynonna felt her head was about to burst.  
\- I don't know... I'm as confused as you are. - Nicole answered.  
\- Tomorrow morning we will continue the discussion and we will think of a plan, if it is as we think, then the two guys are safe, for now. - Henry said.  
\- Beyond that door there's some stuff, but you'll also find a mattress, you and Wynonna can sleep there, for the night. - Nicole said.  
\- Then I would take advantage of your welcome and go and rest, Miss Nicole. - Henry said, - I'm in pieces. -  
\- I join you, I'm tired and tomorrow is going to be a long day and this one too was. It's great to have you back, Nicole. - Wynonna smiled and got up.  
\- I'm happy to be back with you too. - Nicole answered.

Nicole and Waverly were left alone.  
\- I was afraid I'd lost you. - Waverly whispered, looking Nicole in the eye.  
\- No... you'll never lose me. - Nicole answered, touching her face.  
\- It was horrible, first seeing you take away, then finding you in the snow, half dead and lastly... you were.... - Waverly couldn't finish.  
\- It's okay now, I'm here, I won't leave you. -  
\- Promise me you won't let anyone ever separate us again if you don't want to. -  
\- I promise you, no one will ever separate us again. - Nicole said, smiling.  
\- Can I tell you something, Nicole? -  
\- Anything you want. -  
\- I think I'm in love with you. -  
Nicole smiled, - I thought you'd never say. - She answered, looking for Waverly's lips.  
Nicole's lips were so soft and sweet, Waverly got lost in the kiss and everything else vanished, she felt at peace.  
\- I'm going to get some wood. - Nicole said, still kissing Waverly's lips.  
\- I'm coming with you. -  
\- It's cold outside, it'll only take me two minutes. - Nicole responded by standing up and holding Waverly in her arms.  
\- I don't care, I'm afraid I won't see you coming back through that door. - Waverly said, putting her feet on the ground.  
\- All right. If that makes you feel better, come with me. - Nicole answered.

Nicole recovered the wood and even Waverly picked up some pieces, without losing sight of Nicole.  
When the fireplace was full of wood, the two women returned to the couch.  
\- Nicole? - Said Waverly, leaning against the woman's shoulder.  
\- Tell me, baby. - Nicole answered lazily, she had never experienced such peace in her whole life.  
Waverly slid her hand over Nicole's leg, - I want to make love with you. -  
Nicole's body stiffened violently and her hand covered the jeans horse.  
\- What's going on, Nicole? - Waverly was confused by the woman's reaction, she couldn't understand why she was covering herself up.  
\- I think you're close to your period, Waves... - Nicole's voice was crackling and her face red.  
Waverly moved to be able to look at Nicole, - yes, but how do you know that? -  
\- You smell different... and your words... - Nicole kept croaking, without looking at her.  
\- Why are you covering up? - Waverly smiled amused: she had never seen Nicole uncomfortable.  
\- I don't think it's a good idea, let you know. You triggered a reaction, completely unintentional, I swear. -  
\- Nicole? - Waverly was getting more and more confused.  
\- I'm sorry, I can't control this. It's part of my modified genetics... - Nicole insisted on not looking at Waverly.  
\- Let me see, please. - Waverly was beginning to see what Nicole was trying to hide. The girl put her hand on Nicole's and the woman became even more rigid as her breath broke.  
\- It's okay, Nicole, it's me. - Waverly tried to move Nicole's hand, after an initial resistance, Nicole let Waverly look at her.  
\- Wow... - Waverly whispered, looking at the swelling under Nicole's jeans.  
\- I'm sorry, Waves, I swear I can't control it. - Nicole's voice was low, almost a snarl.  
\- I don't mind... - Waverly looked for Nicole's lips, the woman hesitated, before capturing Waverly's lips, - it's okay, Nicole, you're perfect as you are. - Waverly whispered on Nicole's lips.  
The girl's hand touched the fabric of the jeans and Nicole reacted with a growl, not threatening at all.  
\- I don't think we should... - Nicole was trying to control herself.  
\- I think we should, if you want. - Waverly whispered, kissing Nicole's neck.  
\- I want it, too much... - Nicole wheezed.  
Waverly sat on Nicole's legs, - there are two of us, then, who want it. - She said, before kissing her.


	24. Breakfast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a light chapter, a little break. After the previous chapters, a bit of lightness was necessary. For me and for you, I think :)

**24**

 

  
Nicole woke up in the middle of the night, her wounds were burning and her heart was beating fast, immediately she remembered: she remembered everything.  
She paid attention not to wake up Waverly, who slept peacefully next to her and got up.  
She looked at the girl for a moment: she looked happy, gave her a slight kiss on the forehead, put another couple of pieces of wood in the fireplace. She picked up her clothes without wearing them and went out into the icy air of the night.  
She needed to not think, she needed not to be.

It was the cold that woke Waverly up: she clearly felt the lack of fire and the absence of Nicole's body.  
She stood up and started looking for Nicole with her gaze, but she didn't find her. For the moment she would have been content to get dressed: fortunately Wynonna and Henry were still sleeping; it would have been embarrassing to be found naked.  
Waverly went in search of the oil lamp; it was morning, but little light filtered through the small window.  
With a certain sadness, she soon realized that Nicole had no coffee at home, she was almost tempted to go into town, just to have some of that delicious dark liquid.  
She lit the fire, waiting for Nicole to return.  
There were no clocks in the house and time seemed to stand still, she began to be worried about Nicole.  
Wynonna came out of the room, yawning loudly, followed by Henry.  
\- Good morning. - The two said; Waverly looked for something in their tone, but everything seemed normal: she and Nicole had not made too much noise or maybe, the two slept too deeply.  
\- Good morning, - Waverly answered.  
\- Nicole? - Wynonna asked, sitting at the table.  
\- I don't know, when I woke up she wasn't there. - She answered.  
\- She must have gone to get more wood or hunting, there's no reason to worry. - Henry said, taking his place between Waverly and Wynonna.  
\- I would say to prepare a coffee and eat something, it's from before we leave that we don't eat anything. - Wynonna said, but soon realized she didn't see anything useful for cooking. - Um...? -   
\- No coffee, no cooking, no food, and no Nicole. - Waverly summed it up.  
\- I feel like crying... - Wynonna dropped her head on the table, to underline her sadness.  
\- Miss Haught is a good person, but the lack of coffee makes her lose several points. - Henry commented.  
Waverly smiled: if they hadn't been on an island populated by monsters and madmen, that could be a normal day for a normal family.  
The door opened.  
Wynonna and Henry did not waste time and immediately drew their weapons, pointing them at the door.  
\- Good morning to you too... - Nicole smiled.  
\- Couldn't you knock? - Wynonna asked, lowering her weapon.  
\- Why should I knock on my door? - Nicole asked, amused, as she closed the door.  
\- Where have you been? - Waverly asked, standing up to hug her.  
\- To make a few purchases. - She answered after giving a kiss on Waverly's forehead.  
She put down a bag of light-colored cloth, - I managed to exchange a couple of hares for coffee and something else to eat. - She explained.  
\- Did you do this for us? - Waverly's voice was made low by surprise.  
\- Sara and John ate meat for almost two weeks, I never thought it was necessary to go to town, but this time I made an exception: I think reuniting with your family is a good excuse to celebrate. - She said, placing the bag on the table.  
\- Oh Nicole... if I wasn't married, I would eat you up with kisses... - Wynonna whispered, made happy by the prospect of drinking coffee.  
\- Thank you, Miss Nicole. - Henry touched his hat.

Wynonna prepared the coffee: it was soluble coffee, but it was still, pleasing coffee; Nicole had also brought some bread and a jar of raspberry jam.  
When the three of them had finished their breakfast, Nicole got up.  
\- I'm going to take a look at the path that leads to the laboratory, certainly await our visit, so it will be better to check that there are no traps or other strange stuff. -   
\- I'm going with you. - Waverly said, finishing her cup of coffee.   
Nicole was about to protest, but in the end, she just nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for be here :)


	25. Sidetrack - Part 1

25

 

Nicole and Waverly went out and the fresh morning air pinched Waverly's face, but she wasn't cold: she was fine with herself because Nicole was by her side.  
\- I wonder if I should take off my clothes...? - Nicole said, talking to herself.  
\- Nicole...! - Waverly blushed.  
The woman turned to look at her, her face had an expression difficult to decipher. - For the change of shape, silly. - Finally, she smiled.  
\- Oh... right. - Waverly had a giggle. - Do you think there are dangers? -  
\- It is more of a precaution: my human form is still weak, because of the wounds. -  
\- Right, I haven't changed your bandages yet. - Waverly approached Nicole, touching her shirt, - can I? -  
Nicole came down, kissing Waverly's lips, - I'm fine. - She whispered.  
\- What if I wanted to undress you? - Waverly whispered on Nicole's lips.  
\- I think you should learn to control your instincts, baby, the beast here, it's me. - Nicole smiled, taking Waverly in her arms.  
\- You're not a beast, 'Cole. - Waverly came back serious.  
\- You are, when you're excited. - Nicole commented, amused.  
\- Silly... - Waverly couldn't hold back a new smile.  
\- I'll take off my clothes, I don't have many left. - She said, putting Waverly back on the ground.  
\- I brought you the clothes we bought together and under my jacket, I have the shirt you left me. - Waverly said.  
Nicole smiled, - thank you. -  
The woman began to undress, remaining in her bra and boxer.  
\- I don't think I'll get used to it, to see you half naked in the snow. - Waverly commented, looking at the woman; her feet were already turning snow into water.  
\- I can't remember what it feels like to be cold, I mean the real cold, not the annoying one when you have a fever. - Nicole said.  
Waverly didn't know how to answer: there was something wrong with her words.  
Nicole immediately noticed Waverly's change and added: - well, happy winter to me. - She smiled.  
Waverly looked at her, as if she were seeing her for the first time, - you're so beautiful, Nicole... -  
Nicole looked at her smiling, - are you trying with me? -  
Waverly kept looking at her, not talking.  
Nicole approached Waverly, put her finger under her chin to make her head rise and looked her right in the eye, - is there anything you want to tell me? -  
\- I'm scared, Nicole... I'm afraid to lose you, all this is too beautiful, it can't last long. - Waverly answered.  
\- I think it's time for fate to give me a break, I want to be happy with you and I'll do anything to make that wish come true. - She kissed Waverly's lips, sweetly.  
\- Come on. - She said, holding out her hand to Waverly.

\- This is not the way of the first time. - Waverly looked at the landscape.  
\- You're right, I want to study an alternative route. - Nicole answered, looking around.  
\- When all this is over, will you tell me your story? - Waverly asked, shaking Nicole's hot hand.  
The woman didn't answer immediately, - what do you want to know? -  
\- I don't know, I'd start with something easy: did you build that house? -  
\- Yes, I did. -  
\- Wow. Do you have brothers or sisters? -  
\- No, I'm an only child. -  
\- Your last name is Haught... - Waverly didn't know how to continue.  
\- It's my mother's last name, I don't have a father. - A soft snarl came from Nicole.  
\- Forgive me, Nicole... when you're ready, you'll be the one to tell me what you want. -  
\- Don't apologize, Waves, just, I'm not ready yet. -  
\- I understand that. -

The two women walked in silence for a bit, then Nicole stopped.  
\- What is it? - Waverly whispered.  
\- I'm not sure, but I can smell something strange. - Nicole answered.  
Waverly smelled the air, but he didn't feel anything strange.  
\- It's strange, it reminds me of something, but I can't understand what. - Nicole continued, trying to dig into her memory. - How could I forget?! - Nicole growled so loudly that Waverly got scared.  
\- Nicole? -  
The woman was shaking and growling: she looked like she was about to explode.  
\- Damn it! - Nicole punched a log, piercing it.  
\- Nicole, please, you're scaring me... - Waverly began to retreat: for the first time, she was afraid of Nicole.  
\- Sara and John: there's nothing more to do. - Nicole kept growling.  
\- Nicole, I don't understand... -  
The woman turned to Waverly, both of her eyes shining blue. - They were transformed into something else. -  
\- How can you say that? -  
Nicole approached her, she looked like a beast, - as if I didn't know what I'm saying! - She growled a few centimetres from Waverly's face, the girl forced herself to stay still, staring at the eyes of the beast.  
Nicole let herself fall on her knees, - forgive me, Waverly... - She whispered.  
Waverly hesitated a few seconds, she was really scared, for a short, endless moment.  
\- It's okay, Nicole, I'm sorry too... - she said, kneeling in front of Nicole.  
\- We can't stay here: the creature I smelled is pretty stupid, but if it detects us... - Nicole stood up, holding out her hand to Waverly and looking around; the girl looked at Nicole's hand.  
\- I understand that. You don't trust me anymore. - Nicole said, portraying the hand.  
\- It's not that, Nicole; look at your hand. -  
The woman looked at the girl, then turned her attention to her hand: her nails had grown and some red furs covered her.  
\- I broke my bones, against the tree... it will soon return to normal... - Nicole said, hiding the limb behind her back.  
\- But it doesn't happen that way every time you heal. - It wasn't a question.  
\- No, you're right, but I was going to transform myself, my organism is confused. - Nicole explained.  
\- Are we going home? -  
\- Yeah, but we're gonna go for a wide, confusing ride. - Nicole answered.  
\- What are we going to sidetrack? - Waverly asked.  
\- The madman calls them "polite butchers". - Nicole answered.


	26. Sidetrack - Part 2

**26**

 

Waverly stopped, a moan escaped from her lips.  
Nicole turned to the girl: her face was pale and her eyes glossy. - What's going on? -  
Waverly looked at the woman in front of her couldn't answer.  
\- I'm sorry about before. - Nicole said as she approached.  
Waverly shook her head.  
\- Waves? - Nicole put her hands on the shoulders of the younger girl.  
\- Three... - Waverly said.  
Nicole looked at her, she didn't understand what Waverly was trying to tell her. - Three, what? - She asked.  
\- I lost three of my students... - Waverly couldn't hold back her tears anymore.  
\- It's not your fault. -  
\- This is getting too much for me... really too much. -  
\- Waverly, I know this is hard, okay? But you can't break down now. -  
\- How can you be so cold? - She asked, without looking her in the eyes.Nicole was forbidden: cold? - My heart aches, as much as yours: they were with me, but it's useless now, crying. -  
\- If I were to die, how would you react? You would say: is there no point in crying? -   
\- It's different. I won't let them hurt you. -  
\- Really? But you let them get hurt. - Waverly immediately regretted it, but by now, she had said so.  
Nicole began to growl, but immediately, she turned around and kept walking, - let's move. -  
\- Nicole! Wait a minute. -   
\- There's no time to waste. - Nicole replied, without turning around. She stayed in front of Waverly, but made sure she was never too far away from her.                                                                                                                                                                                                

After a half hour's walk, Waverly got stuck again.  
Nicole turned around without talking.  
\- Why were you so angry about that smell? - The girl asked.  
Nicole clenched her jaw, but she didn't answer.  
\- Nicole? -  
\- It's behind us, we don't have time for this. - She said, with her back to her.  
\- Why are we walking and not running, then? -  
\- Because it's slow: on short distances it's dangerous, but if we start running we lose it. -  
\- What's that? What do you mean, "kind butcher"? -  
\- It's a selective hunter: when it detects the target that has been assigned to it, it doesn't give up until it's torn up, but if you're not on its list, then it's like dealing with a kitten. -  
\- Are we on the list? -  
\- I'm not sure. But I have reason to believe that Henry and Wynonna are, and you're wearing their scent. -  
\- Why should they be on your list? - Waverly was trying to concentrate and think of the being who was chasing her, as something foreign.  
\- I'm suspicious, although I don't think it's about butchering them, but capturing them; it all depends on the orders it has received. The fact remains that it is quite stupid. -  
\- So I'm the bait, but you're gonna smell like them too, aren't you? -  
\- You don't have to think of yourself like bait, anyway, my smell is stronger than that of Wynonna and Henry. -  
\- Moss and vanilla: that's your smell. - Waverly said.  
\- My human smell, you say? I've never noticed that. - Nicole answered.  
\- You know something, Nicole, something very important, why don't you share it with me? Don't you trust me? -  
\- I have no certainty, only suspicions, it is useless to give you information that could be wrong. I'm just telling you what I'm sure of. -  
\- Are you angry with me? -  
Nicole got stuck, turning to look at her. - I'm not angry, Waverly, you said some things that hurt me, but it was the anger and pain that made you say them. -  
Waverly nodded, - that's right, I didn't think what I said. -  
Nicole turned around and started walking again.

Waverly accelerated the pace, fighting against the snow and joined Nicole, looked for her hand and Nicole took it.  
\- What's the plan? - The girl asked.  
\- Take that thing off the road, get some fuel and get you out of this place, forever. - Nicole answered.  
\- Get us out of here? What does that mean? You're coming with us. - Waverly felt a weight in her stomach.  
\- There's one thing I have to do: take revenge. I'm not leaving this place until I kill that madman. - Nicole started growling.  
\- Nicole, you said you wanted a happy life with me, didn't you? - Waverly felt tears stinging her eyes.  
\- I'll find a way to leave this island. -  
\- If you knew how to do it, you wouldn't have asked me to take you away, you would have left this place many years ago. Why is revenge so important now? -  
\- He crossed the line, did something he should never have tried again. -   
\- He tried to kill you, he destroyed lives, but it's not the first time; what has he done this time? -  
\- You're wrong, he didn't try to kill me, even if that's what he wanted to make you think: if he wanted to kill me, a single blow to the head would have been enough. -  
\- A blow to the head? I was talking about that time in the clearing... was he the one who shot you then? -  
\- Yeah, last night I remembered everything. -  
\- So he too can sum up human features... -  
\- For short periods, he has modified his DNA, after mine, is a higher level, but maintaining a human form costs him a lot of effort. -  
\- Nicole, there is nothing more to do on this island, please forget, and start again, with me. -  
\- No, as long as he's alive, I can' t have peace. -  
\- Okay. But I'm not leaving this damn island without you. You're gonna get yourself killed, Nicole. But if that's what you want, I'll stay here. -  
\- Don't be stupid, Waverly. This is my war and I have no intention of getting myself killed, it will be his head that falls. -  
\- Then I don't see why I shouldn't stay. -  
\- Maybe it's my fault. I should never have let you near me. - Nicole said, she had a knot in her throat.  
\- I didn't choose to fall in love with you and you didn't allow me to, it just happened. -  
\- This shouldn't have happened, you never should have come here, much less come back here. -  
\- Is that a kind way of saying you don't reciprocate my feelings? - Waverly stopped, without leaving Nicole's hand.  
The red-haired woman turned and looked into her eyes and said: - It is precisely because I love you that I would have preferred that you never meet me. My life is fucked, I can never give you a normal life, I will never be enough for you. -  
Waverly raised her arms to take Nicole's face and draw it down, - you're everything to me. - She said, looking for her lips.  
-It's getting closer. - Nicole said, raising her head and looking toward the thick of the forest.  
\- You think we should kill... that thing? - Waverly had a hard time thinking about it.  
\- It won't be easy, even if you shoot a silver bullet at it, you won't even tickle it: silver is a soft metal, it will flatten out against its skin, instead of reacting chemically as with mine and piercing it. - Nicole replied.  
\- So how can you kill it? -  
\- It's almost impossible. Even in my own form as a lycanthropus, at the height of my strength, I would have difficulty killing it. - Nicole took Waverly's hand and started walking again, with a faster pace.


	27. Sidetrack - Part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think there are some bugs, I uploaded this chapter a few minutes ago, but it was illegible, I hope this one goes better.

**27**

 

\- Shit... - whispered Nicole, stopping to look at the sky.  
\- What's going on, Nicole? - Waverly asked, alarmed.  
\- A snowstorm is coming. -  
\- But the sky is almost cloudless. - She replied, at that moment a cold and violent wind rose up. - As if not said... -  
\- We need to find shelter and hope we've gotten far enough away from Wynonna and Henry. -  
\- You think you can find shelter? Excluding the laboratory? -  
\- As a child I played in a kind of abandoned chalet, I have no idea if it is still intact: many years have passed. -  
\- Alternatively? -  
\- You're gonna freeze to death. - Nicole replied.  
\- Well, I'd say looking for the chalet could be a start, then... -  
\- I think so too, we are rather far from my house, but also from the chalet, it should be all right. Get on my shoulders: I'll make It lose my tracks using the trees. -  
\- Are you going to jump from tree to tree? - Waverly asked, perplexed: the idea did not excite her.  
\- What's the problem? - Nicole's voice had sweetened, she probably felt the fear of Waverly.  
\- I'm dizzy... - Waverly admitted.  
The snowflakes began to hit the faces of the two women, with violence: carried by the icy wind.  
\- Do you trust me? - Nicole asked, approaching Waverly.  
\- I trust you, Nicole, of course, it's me that I don't trust. -  
\- You're just gonna have to hold on to your strength, you can close your eyes. - Nicole knelt down and gave her her back.  
\- Don't let me fall. - Waverly said, putting herself on Nicole's hot back, arms and legs squeezed the woman's body.  
\- I'll never let you fall, never. - Nicole answered, standing up.  
\- Are you sure that your wounds will allow you to do this? - Waverly asked.  
\- Trust me. - Nicole said, starting to run to give herself the push.  
\- Hold on tight! - Nicole took an incredible jump, sinking her nails into a trunk.  
\- Now I'll start zigzagging, but don't be afraid: I know what I'm doing. -  
\- I do. - Waverly replied, her muscles trembled with effort and cold, - but please, be quick. -  
Nicole nodded and began to jump from tree to tree: her speed and the width of her jumps were something never seen in nature. Nicole was an enhanced fusion between Tarzan and the spider-man.  
The storm was made from minute to minute more violent.  
\- Nicole? -  
\- It's okay, don't worry. - Nicole continued her crazy run, apparently undisturbed by the violence of wind and snow.  
Waverly tried to calm herself down: she had to trust Nicole, she kept her cheek against Nicole's hot back, listening to her heart: beating vigorously.  
Nicole landed in the snow, but Waverly still kept her eyes closed.  
\- Here we go. It' still here. - Nicole said.  
Waverly had difficulty letting go of the grip: her muscles were stiff and painful.  
When she finally managed to get down from Nicole's shoulders, she saw a wooden casket, very similar to Nicole's, she said so.  
\- I was inspired by this to build my own. - Nicole said as she began to walk towards the door, followed by Waverly.

The interior was quite bright, there was a mattress on the ground and a small fireplace.  
\- When the storm is over, we will return to the others. - Nicole said, retrieving some wood and putting it in the fireplace.  
\- Do you think we can light the fire? -  
\- It won't find us, not because of the smoke, in any case, there isn't much wood, but it's dry and dry, it'll be enough to warm you up a bit. - Nicole answered.  
\- Thank you. - Waverly said, dragging the mattress by the fireplace and sitting on it.  
When the fire was lit, Nicole reached Waverly, sitting next to her.  
\- Nicole? -  
\- What's up? - Nicole answered, looking at the girl by her side.  
\- I never gave you this back. - Waverly said, extracting Nicole's dagger, from the belt.  
\- I thought it was lost, in the clearing... - Nicole took the dagger, looking at it thoroughly.  
\- You gave it to me before you turned, and I held it tight. - Waverly replied, - I don't know why, but I think that's more than a weapon, for you. -  
\- You're right. It was with me from the beginning. But now it's yours. - She said, handing it to Waverly.  
\- No, I can't accept it, I wouldn't even know how to use it. - Waverly was flattered by that gesture, but she really thought, what she had said.  
\- Please, it's a gift. I want you to have it. -  
Waverly looked at Nicole and then the dagger, hesitating. - Thanks Nicole, I'll take care of it. - She replied, taking the dagger.  
Nicole nodded and smiled. - I know. -  
Waverly leaned on Nicole's shoulder and she put her arm around her hips.

\- I've made mistakes in my life. Nasty things. But I really want to change my life. - Nicole said, after a few minutes of silence.  
Waverly just got closer to Nicole: she wanted the woman to feel free to talk to her.  
\- I can't go back in time, and even if I could, I don't know if I would change the past. Because I don't know if I would meet you, it's selfish, but in any case: I'm still a human being. I have seen and done horrible things and there is no justification, I can only say that I did not want them to happen, but I let them happen anyway.  
I was young and scared, when my world collapsed, suddenly I had no clear reference points: I no longer had a family, friends or even a place to belong, even the forest: once beautiful and lively, it soon turned into this ... all because of the man I once loved and called: Daddy.  
He destroyed everything, we could be happy, but he wanted to change things at all costs, he was no longer enough, all the love and happiness he had; I tried for years to understand it, but I never succeeded. In the end, all that remained was hatred.  
I postponed for too long, I allowed him to do too many things; I had many opportunities to kill him, but I never succeeded; even that time, in the clearing, I was held back, I knew he wanted to kill you, but I could not put all the will into it. You weren't wrong when you said, "You didn't protect them," I'm as responsible as he was. -  
Waverly looked at Nicole's face: her eyes were shiny, but no tears came down from her eyes. - Nicole... -  
\- No, don't say that; it's my fault, too, and nothing will ever change that. - Nicole anticipated Waverly.  
\- I don't know what you did, Nicole, and maybe I don't want to know, but you're not like him. -  
Inside Nicole, something happened: her body began to tremble.  
_I'm not like him_... A tear came down from Nicole's human eye.  
\- Cole...? -  
Nicole rotated her torso and held Waverly to herself, resting her chin on the girl's head.  
They remained so, motionless and silent, while Nicole's body continued to shake.

Nicole let go of Waverly's body and jumped up, smelling the air. - It found us! - She growled.  
\- How is that possible? - Waverly asked.  
Nicole hesitated a few moments, then her face became even more serious. - It doesn't smell Wynonna and Henry, but yours. - Nicole said.  
\- My smell? - asked Waverly smelling herself.  
\- It feels you're fertile. - Nicole looked away, - I should have thought of that before. -  
\- What does that mean? Does it want to mate with me? - Waverly's voice was shivering with horror.  
\- It's the best way to have other individuals, I've reacted to that too. - Nicole replied, her voice trembled with anger.  
\- I have to set fire to this place and escape, maybe the smoke will cover your smell long enough. - Nicole began to look around frantically, looking for something flammable.  
\- Nicole, I'm scared. - Waverly whispered.  
\- It won't touch you, I won't let it. - She answered, looking in every corner.  
The door was broken through.  
\- Shit! - Nicole went in front of Waverly: there was no more time.

 


	28. Fear and Pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short, but it may contain things that might bother you.

**28**

 

The being remained motionless, sniffing the air, on his face there was an amused grin.  
\- This makes no sense... - Nicole was breathless.  
Waverly went beyond Nicole and saw something that left her breathless: in front of them was John.  
\- John? - Waverly tried to make contact with the boy, but Nicole put an arm between her and him.  
\- Where is she, the other half? - Nicole asked.  
John had a laugh, his eyes sparkle with blue. - Fox... - said the being.  
Nicole had a tremor and her body began to tremble.  
\- Answer! Daub! - Nicole intimated.  
\- Nicole, I don't understand. -  
\- I asked you a question, you useless piece of shit! - Nicole took a few steps towards John.  
\- Nicole, why are you acting like this? - Waverly couldn't believe those words really came from Nicole.  
\- You're a fool, Nicole, it's so easy to deceive you. You're always that scared, naive little girl. - John spoke in a voice that wasn't his own.  
\- Don't you dare! - Nicole growled loudly.  
\- Weak and frightened, Mom said: you should never have been born: you were a mistake. - John kept smiling.  
Nicole jumped and hitting John's body, threw him to the ground.  
\- Nicole! - Waverly rushed over Nicole, trying to get her away from John.  
\- Don't you dare! - Nicole's eyes sparkled and her body was so warm that Waverly had to let go of the grip.  
\- I'll kill you! You'll pay for everything you did to me! Do you understand? I'll rip your heart out of your chest! - Nicole growled, shaking her hands around John's neck.  
John kept laughing amused, - you won't kill me, Nicole, we both know that. - The skin around Nicole's hands began to give off smoke and a smell of burnt flesh began to soak the air.  
\- Nicole! Nicole, please stop! - Waverly didn't know what to do.  
\- You destroyed my life... - tears began to fall from Nicole's eyes.  
John kept smiling until his eyes became opaque.  
Nicole screamed and growled like a wounded beast, then let herself fall to the ground, curling up in the fetal position, began to cry.  
\- Nicole...? - Waverly knelt beside her, she didn't dare touch her: her body emanated an incredible heat. Seeing Nicole in that state was absurd: she cried as she had never seen anyone cry, from her mouth came out heartrending snarls.  
\- Nicole, talk to me. - Waverly begged.  
Nicole hit the stone floor with a fist, shattering it. - It's my fault. -  
\- Nicole, please, what's going on? - Waverly tried to touch Nicole's shoulder, but had to immediately retract her hand: her body was still hot.  
\- It's too late, she took them. -  
\- Who took who? Nicole, please come back to you! - Waverly hit Nicole's face with a slap, burning her hand.  
Nicole stopped fidgeting and looked at her, - Wynonna and Henry, it was us who were taken off the track. -  
\- No... we have to go, Nicole, get up! -  
\- It's too late. They couldn't defend themselves against she.  
\- She? You mean Sara? -  
Nicole nodded.  
\- Now get up, please, take me to them! React damn it! - Waverly screamed.  
Nicole sat down, her body was still shaking.  
\- Why are you so scared? Please be my Nicole again... -  
The woman lost her look into nothingness, as if she was staring at something invisible.  
\- Nicole... please, I need you. -  
Without talking, Nicole got back on her feet, - I'm not giving up! - She shouted, taking Waverly in her arms and beginning to run over the door, through the forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm in mourning, I'm an orphan now, so I'll take a break from all this,  
> I thought it was right to say.  
> See you in the near future.


	29. Anger and Love

29

 

 

Waverly tightened her grip around Nicole's neck, she ran at an incredible speed, if Waverly tried to turn her face in front of her, the icy and hard air prevented her from breathing. She concentrated on Nicole's face: pulled and tired: upset.  
\- Nicole? -  
But the woman didn't answer, it seemed she hadn't even heard it.  
\- Nicole, everything will be fine. -  
On Nicole's face appeared a sneer: a smile without joy.  
\- They're fine, I know it. - Waverly continued, looking for contact with the woman she loved.  
Nicole continued to fix the path in front of her, ignoring the dense falling snowflakes.  
\- I really need you to tell me you're okay. -  
Nicole looked down for a fraction of a second, the time it took to meet Waverly's eyes. - You need me to save your family, that's all. -  
\- I don't understand, Nicole... our family. -  
Nicole smiled again, a bitter and sad smile, - our family... -  
\- I'm not good with people, but I feel you're suffering a lot, you're upset and angry, you looked like a little girl... - Waverly couldn't finish the sentence: Nicole stopped violently, letting her fall to the ground.  
\- Nicole?! - Waverly got up and stared at the red-haired woman.  
Nicole trembled, her eyes shone blue. - You chose the wrong time to psychoanalyze me. - Her voice was a growl.  
\- It seems to be the only way, I won't let you fight in these conditions, you're not yourself: you'll get yourself killed! - Waverly screamed in fear.  
\- You made a mistake, Waverly, and you'll regret the time you're making me lose! You wanted me to react and I reacted, now you block me, putting pressure on my anger?! - She howled.  
\- I want you to come back to yourself! Damn it! I won't let you die! - Waverly shouted.  
\- If Sara finds them before I do, then yes, you'll lose someone! -  
\- I'm so sorry, Nicole, but you're just a scared kid. -  
Nicole turned to Waverly, her blue eyes were wide open with surprise and anger. - I won't let you! I know what you're trying to do, but those words won't lose importance just because you repeat them! -  
\- You're a weak, scared little girl, Nicole. - Waverly moved a few steps towards Nicole.  
Nicole yelled at the sky as her body began to transform.  
\- Well, now control yourself! - Waverly forced herself to stand still, while the huge wolf stared at her threateningly.  
\- You won't save anyone if you don't control yourself! -  
Nicole was growling, staring at her.  
\- Show me that it's not true, show me that you're the strong and brave woman I've always thought you are. -  
The wolf's body trembled loudly and the snow around its legs quickly turned into water.  
\- I won't let you die, Nicole... - Waverly's voice was about to break in tears.  
The wolf stopped growling and anger gave way to pain, the beast began to mutter: a tearless cry.  
\- You too, Nicole, are now part of my family, in one family no one is more important than another. I cannot sacrifice you, not even to save my sister. That's how it works, Nicole, whether we're all or none. That's why I really need you to control your anger and be lucid. - Waverly began to caress Nicole's thick fur.  
The giant wolf came down, so that the girl could climb on it.  
\- There's my Nicole. Now please, run, run like the wind, Nicole. - Waverly said, clinging hard to Nicole's fur.  
The red wolf began to trot, finally, it threw itself into a crazy race, between the trees and the snow.

 


	30. The shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys :)

**30**

 

The red wolf ran fast; for some, short, moments the animal allowed the icy wind against the muzzle, and the muscles, pleasantly painful, to take it far away, in a world where the only important thing was to run in the wind. But Nicole was able to re-emerge, always and be concentrated: she had to save her family.  
Waverly tightened the thick fur of the wolf, the only thing that allowed her not to succumb under the icy gusts was the heat generated by the body of the red wolf. Under her thighs, Waverly could clearly feel the power of Nicole's muscles; running with her was simply a wonderful feeling. The girl had often wondered how it would be and now, knowing the answer, she had realized that it was much better than she had imagined; it would have been nice to do it again, possibly in a situation in which, someone's life, was not in danger. Waverly's thoughts were blocked by Nicole's snarl.  
\- What's going on, Nicole? - Waverly asked, forgetting that Nicole was unable to answer.  
The animal slowed down and started growling louder.  
\- Okay, you hit the ground once for yes, and two for no. Understand? - Waverly said.  
The animal scratched the frozen ground with a single paw.  
\- Perfect. Do you feel anything dangerous? -  
One shot on the ground.  
\- We're close to the house, are we going to move on? -  
This time Nicole hit the ground two times.  
\- It's Sara... - Maybe it wasn't a question.  
One shot.  
\- This only means two things: either she hasn't found them yet or... -  
Nicole didn't move, her body was stiff and taut, ready for anything.  
Waverly felt her heart beating fast, she wanted to get off Nicole's back and run to the house, but she had to trust Nicole, she was the only one able to do the right thing in that situation, Nicole knew what to do: Waverly was sure, but she still asked a question.  
\- Do you think they're okay? -  
Nicole hesitated, but finally gave a blow to the ground.

The wolf came down so that the young woman could get out of her back.  
\- Nicole? -  
The wolf looked intensely at Waverly's eyes.  
Waverly shook her head, - I trust you, Nicole. -  
The girl remained next to the wolf: she had no idea where the danger would come from, as Nicole turned her head relentlessly.  
\- She's trying to take us by surprise... - She whispered.  
Nicole continued to look around, sniffing the air.  
A copper was broken, perhaps no more than ten meters away, to their right; a second later, something hit Nicole's left side violently, throwing her to the ground.  
\- Nicole! - Fortunately, Waverly had not been involved in the first attack. She watched Nicole get up, then her eyes looked for the dark shadow, which she would have sworn she had seen Nicole hit, but there was nothing and no one around.  
\- Nicole, what do we do? - Waverly screamed.  
The wolf shook its head and shook its entire body, trying to clean its fur.  
\- Damn it... - Waverly pulled out the dagger, what was once Nicole's and put herself in a defensive position, she was aware that probably it would do no good, but she would fight anyway.  
Something, very fast, passed in front of the two, it had been such a rapid movement that a blink of an eye would have been enough to lose it.  
\- Tell me you know what to do. - Waverly was afraid.  
Nicole wanted to hit the ground once, but the shadow hit her, just as she raised her paw.  
The wolf was thrown several meters away, while a gloomy and guttural laughter resounded among the trees.  
\- Stop it! That's enough! - Waverly shouted, turning to nothing. - We don't want to hurt you! -  
Nicole was bleeding from a nostril, but she still looked pretty good. The wolf stayed a few steps from Waverly: it seemed that the enemy was not interested to the girl.  
Waverly leaned her back against a tree, in an attempt to have fewer points uncovered.  
The snowstorm seems on the verge of stopping.  
\- Nicole, I don't think that's Sara. - Waverly didn't know what made her think that.  
The wolf only hit the ground once: it agreed with Waverly.  
The forest became silent, even the wind had stopped blowing, everything was immersed in an unreal silence.

\- Waverly! Nicole! - A familiar voice.  
Waverly heard her heart explode in her chest: it was Wynonna's voice.  
\- Wynonna! We're here! - She replied, facing the point where her sister's voice came from, forgetting the shadow.  
Nicole moved closer to Waverly and sniffed the air.  
Waverly began to take a few steps, but Nicole barred her way, beginning to growl loudly.  
\- Nicole, what is it? It's Wynonna. - The girl tried to turn the wolf's body, but the wolf moved, preventing her from continuing.  
\- Waverly. - Wynonna came out of the thick of the trees.  
\- You are okay! - Waverly was on the verge of tears.  
Nicole began to growl even louder, threatening to raise her withers and bend her ears backwards.  
Wynonna took a few steps in their direction, smiling.

 


	31. Doubt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Past and present.

**31**

 

Wynonna and Henry followed Nicole and Waverly with their gaze.  
\- Nicole will take care of her. - Henry commented, when the door was closed.  
Wynonna stared at the point for a few more moments, - I know, it's not for Waverly that I'm worried, but for us. -  
\- What do you mean? - Henry was puzzled.  
\- I'm not sure, - said Wynonna, taking another piece of bread and jam, - I have a feeling. -  
Henry just nodded, he wasn't sure what words to use. The man stood up, walked around the chair and tightened his wife, - it's all right, honey. - He said, in her ravenous hair.  
Wynonna smiled, - I don't know, but as long as we're together, nothing can really scare me. - She touched his hand.  
\- We will meet again Sara and John, and when all this is over... how many times have I said and heard this sentence? - The man had a moment of discouragement.   
\- We thought that our great adventure was over, I mean, when we left our weapons, we thought that our life would be quiet: no more war, no more comrades and friends falling under enemy bullets... but all this... I still can't believe that chimeras really exist. - Wynonna shook her head, - and that the woman who fell in love with my sister is a werewolf... -  
The two stood still, enjoying each other's proximity.  
Someone knocked on the door.   
Wynonna and Henry pulled out their weapons, without hesitation; they were sure it wasn't Nicole and Waverly: they didn't need to knock.  
\- We are armed and ready to shoot! - Henry screamed, to make sure he on the other side of the door could hear it.   
\- I need help. - A male voice answered, there was something familiar in his tone, no, in his accent.  
Wynonna nodded to Henry and walked slowly toward the door.  
\- I'm about to open, know that you're making the wrong move, you'll find a bullet in your forehead before you can say "A". - Wynonna threatened, in a firm tone.  
\- I won't do anything, there's a wounded man with me, I can't take him to the city. - The voice answered.  
Wynonna and Henry took a look at each other, Wynonna opened the door. -  
\- What the fuck? - Wynonna barred her eyes: in front of her was a different version of Jeremi supporting the blood-covered body of Dolls.

 

-<>-<>-

 

\- Waverly. - Wynonna kept advancing. - You can't trust her, she's not the real Nicole. -   
Waverly got a little confused, looked at her sister and then Nicole.  
\- Where's Henry? - Asked the girl, almost screaming, to overcome Nicole's snarl.  
\- He's injured, but he's fine, Nicole's with him. - Wynonna answered by stopping.   
Waverly felt bad, she didn't know what to think, - how do I know that you are really my sister? And why Nicole didn't come looking for me? I don't think she would have sent you to the forest alone. -  
\- She's also hurt. Some kind of monster attacked us. -  
Waverly looked at the wolf, which prevented her from approaching Wynonna, - Nicole? I don't understand anything anymore... - she said, then she looked at her sister's eyes and got lost in that blue, a different blue.  
\- Think about it, tonight she has disappeared and comes back with breakfast, she does not object, when you ask her to follow her. - Wynonna continued, - didn't she have strange behaviors? Think about it, Waverly! - Wynonna shouted.  
Nicole began to advance towards Wynonna, she was becoming more and more threatening.Waverly felt her head heavy and a feeling of nausea pervaded her, almost unintentionally she began to retreat, - I no longer know what to think. - She whispered.  
\- Waverly, come here. - Wynonna smiled at her sister.  
\- I feel confused, I don't know if you're lying. -   
\- Of course not! I'm your sister, I want to save you. -  
\- You know things only the real Wynonna can know, but she protected me until a few minutes ago. - Waverly replied, pointing to Nicole.  
\- Did she protect you or herself? - Wynonna stopped smiling.  
Waverly didn't answer, she felt confused, it was as if she was no longer able to reason clearly.  
\- It'll kill me, Waverly, come away with me. -  
\- NO! Leave me alone! - Waverly had the feeling that something was trying to invade her brain, she ran to the forest.  
Nicole turned to Waverly, ready to stop her, but one hand grabbed her by the withers, holding her back.  
The wolf turned to Wynonna, but it was not Wynonna.  
\- You are so weak and useless. - Said the shadow.  
Nicole growled, something was stopping her from attacking the shadow, but she had to get out of her grip and run to Waverly, before something could hurt her.  
Nicole began to get divorced in an attempt to free herself; some hairs were torn off, but when she thought she was now free, the shadow lifted her up, like a kitten, and threw her against a tree.

 

-<>-<>-

 

Wynonna didn't put down her weapon and kept pointing it at Dolls.  
\- Please, we need help. - The boy begged.  
\- Why should I help those responsible for our stay on this damn island? - Wynonna was furious.  
\- Now I understand who you are, but I can explain everything, we are not the bad guys, I swear. -  
The woman walked back a few steps, continuing to keep the two under fire and looked at her husband. Henry hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded.  
\- One false move and you're dead. - Wynonna threatened, before moving on to get them through.  
\- You won't regret this. - The boy said, while Henry helped him to keep Dolls' body.

 

 

 


	32. Part of what I want to know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case I made logical errors, you can tell me :)

**32**

 

\- I suggest you start talking. - Wynonna said, after Henry and Jeremi's alleged brother had treated Dolls' body.  
The boy sat down at the table and blew out some air, held back by the effort. - We were deceived, like you. The black badge, they had said it was normal prassy, but we found ourselves in something far more dangerous and wrong. -  
\- That doesn't mean anything. - Wynonna took the gun, but didn't raise it.  
\- I know, I'm a little confused... I don't know where to start. - He answered.  
\- What do you say, start from the beginning, boy. - Doc said, sitting down.  
\- All right. I'll try, I don't have anything to lose anymore, I'm in the shit up to my neck. The black badge has been experimenting with the supernatural since the dawn of time; they got to know about this island a few years ago, but they hadn't found a safe way to get in contact with the scientist. -  
\- Wait, with the crazy guy? - Wynonna asked.  
\- Yes, I think we're talking about the same person: the scientist from this island. They needed trained personnel, but these people could not know anything about the island and its secrets. -  
\- Let me guess, we're those people. - Henry said, before Wynonna could lose control and shoot the boy. - Why couldn't we have known? -  
\- Because if you had any suspicions you would have tried to block everything, but instead you found yourself in a nightmare and just wanted to escape: this was the reasoning. -  
\- I think it's weak, but that's not what matters now, what was the point of our presence here? -  
\- There were two possibilities, no, three: to die; to take the scientist away from this island; to become super-soldiers, the last was the original plan, the reason for which the black badge wanted to get in contact with him, but things turned out to be different: he would never cooperate; not on our terms. -  
\- What went wrong the first time? - Wynonna asked, trying to stay calm.  
\- You, you met the scientist's daughter, by now his identity had been compromised. -  
The two remained silent for a few minutes, considering the young man's words.  
\- I do not understand, something is not clear to me, summarizing, correct me if I'm wrong: the black badge, the secret unit for which you work, commissioned our expedition, basically we were meat for slaughter, to see if it was possible to create super soldiers, a kind of gift for the scientist who has a passion for creating monsters. But how could he know that we were for him? if you hadn't been able to get in contact with him? -  
\- Your deductive talents are almost paranormal! - Jeremi's brother was really surprised. - Among you was an infiltrator: one of the students of Professor Waverly Earp, the only experiment that ever managed to leave this island, the person who told us about the mysteries of the island. The person who managed to meet him without dying. -   
\- I don't understand... who? - But Wynonna couldn't finish the sentence: the door was broken through.

  
  



	33. She, the Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guys, I'm back, I hope...  
> I was totally stuck with this story, all the ideas that came to mind were never good enough, or if they were good, I didn't know how to write them, but now I think I've figured out how to do it.   
> Not long before the end of the story; I hope not to get stuck again.

**33**

 

 

Waverly didn't even feel the cold, her mind was confused and blind: it was like staying in a dream, no, in a nightmare. The only thing she could think of was Wynonna's eyes, that absurd and beautiful blue, but different, too different, there was something wrong.  
She wanted to turn around, go back to Nicole, but something prevented her from doing so.  
\- Waverly. - A voice to her left.  
Waverly didn't scream, she didn't move a single muscle when the huge black Lycanthropus approached her.  
\- I have your sister. - Said the wolf.

 

**- <>-<>-**

 

  
The door ended at their feet, but on the doorstep, they saw no one. Wynonna and Henry exchanged a glimpse of each other.  
\- Behind me. - Doc told Jeremi's brother. The boy did not hesitate to obey.  
\- Show yourself! - Wynonna ordered.  
A figure appeared, - it is not wise to fight. - Sara said, crossing the line of the door.  
\- What the hell...? - Wynonna was breathless.  
\- What's that surprised face? - Sara smiled amusedly.  
Doc took a step forward, - what does that mean? -  
\- Don't make fun of me, - Sara kept smiling, - I think you know what this means. -  
\- The only experiment... - reasoned Doc.  
Sara began to applaud, - good Henry. -  
\- Why? - Wynonna didn't know what to think.  
\- What does 'why' mean, because yes. Listen, the first time I failed, but this time... my father and I will leave the island, together and you won't do anything to stop it, is it clear? -  
\- Your father...? Fuck you! - Yelled Wynonna, angry.  
\- Don't do that, I just want the keys to the helicopter, the gasoline, and the red-haired experiment. - Sara seemed almost bored.  
\- We don't have any of these three things, and we're not willing to give them to you anyway, but my guns are full of silver! - Doc became threatening.  
Sara laughed, - I really want to see if you can hit me! - The girl vanished into a cloud of smoke, and now there was a dark shadow in her place. - Try to catch me, gunman! -   
Doc didn't have it repeated twice and fired three shots, but the bullets passed through the shadow, without injuring her.  
The shadow seemed very amused by Henry's failure, - Stupid! Now tell me where you're hiding the three things I asked you to give me. -   
\- I already replied! - Henry yelled, angry.  
\- You know, I don't want to be violent, but if you keep on not cooperating, well, I'll get very violent. - Said the shadow.  
\- He's not lying, we don't know where exactly the red-haired woman is. Also, I personally took steps to destroy the keys to the helicopter, even if you found fuel, you could never fly. - Jeremi's brother took a step forward, smiling.   
\- You what?! - Wynonna and Henry yelled.  
\- I'm sorry, but we couldn't let anyone else leave the island. Not the scientist and his monsters, I'm sorry, it was the right thing to do. - He explained.  
Henry and Wynonna looked at him, they didn't know how to react.  
\- Oh, that's a big problem... I don't know whether to laugh or get angry... you're practically useless now... - said the shadow.  
\- Then go away. We have nothing more to say to each other. - Henry said.  
\- Go away? - The shadow seemed to think about it, - no, I don't think so. I think I'll take one of you, I can't go back empty-handed to my father. Volunteers? -  
The three approached each other, ready to defend themselves.  
\- Seriously? Don't you understand that there's nothing you can do to defend yourself against me? - The shadow is laughing.  
\- Go away. - Henry said again.  
The shadow shook it' s head, - I said: no... let's see... um... I could look like one of you... but who...? -  
\- What the hell are you talking about?! - Wynonna screamed.  
\- Easy! Just your... - It said the shadow at the end, pointing to Wynonna.  
\- What are you going to do? - Jeremi's brother asked.  
The shadow looked at the guy, - well, in almost every book I've read as a child, at some point the 'villain' reveals his evil plan... it might be funny, because there's no chance you can stop me, no hero will come to save you, this is not a children's book, it's real life. - It sneaked in. - I will take the form of Wynonna, wait until Nicole and Waverly are close enough to this hovel, try to convince them that I am the real Wynonna and finally deliver Nicole to our father. The original plan worked: you separated again, but I hadn't foreseen that the stupid one would destroy the keys, it had to be an exchange, no violence: the keys for some of you. All right, we'll find another solution, we have a lot of time. -  
\- Your mind is sick... - Wynonna shook her head.  
\- Fighting you all together could be a danger, even for me... - added the shadow, ignoring Wynonna's comment.  
\- What makes you think we'll let you do whatever you want? - Henry threatened.  
Sara looked at him, - again? I just told you, you can't do anything against me... - she seemed bored.  
\- You said you couldn't face us all together, that means you have a weakness too, you just have to find out what it is. - Henry said, straightening his mustache.  
The shadow remained silent for a few seconds.  
\- Well, let's see... the shadows need light, if we bring it back in human form, we could hit it! - Jeremi's brother added.  
The shadow screamed out and set off on the attack.

 

**- <>-<>-**

 

  
Wynonna opened her eyes slowly, was nauseous and her head buzzed and was sore. Her eyes had difficulty adapting to the semi-darkness of the room.  
She sat down, leaning her back against the cold stone wall. It took her a few seconds to figure out where she was: in one of the underground cells of the laboratory.  
A sigh at her side made her jump.  
\- Waverly! - Wynonna saw her sister huddled in the corner, her face, barely lit by a candle, appeared tired and frightened.  
When Waverly noticed that Wynonna was awake, she jumped up, flattening herself against the wall - stay away from me! - She screamed.  
Wynonna put her hands in front of her, trying to reassure her sister, - okay, Waverly, I'm here now. - She tried to stand up, but felt very weak and had a wound to her left leg, the cold did not improve things: it made her joints hard and painful.  
\- Don't come near me! - Waverly cry.  
Wynonna gave up getting up and focused totally on her sister, - honey, it's me: Wynonna, what happened to you, where's Nicole? -   
\- Prove it! - Screamed the girl.  
\- Prove what? Where's Nicole? -   
\- Prove it or I'll kill you! - Waverly extracted the silver dagger.  
\- Woooh... okay, take it easy... what do I have to prove? - Wynonna raised her hands.  
Waverly tried to control her breathing, - prove to me... prove to me that you are my sister, and I swear that if you try again to deceive my mind I will not exist to stab you. -  
\- Ask me anything... - Wynonna realized it was the only way.  
Waverly looked at her for a few seconds, the tears flowed down her pale cheeks, - tell me something about when we were children, something that only you and I know. -  
Wynonna looked around, she tried to ignore the discomfort and concentrate. - Okay... remember that time you tried your first cigarette? We heard noises and you dropped your cigarette on the straw in the barn that caught fire immediately. It took us a lifetime to turn it off and make the evidence disappear, that day you swore that you would never smoke a cigarette again in your life, and so it was. -  
Waverly broke down crying, dropping the dagger, - Wynonna... - the girl jumped into the arms of her sister.  
\- It's okay, it's okay... - Wynonna held her sister to herself, trying to calm her down.  
\- I don't know where Nicole is, something separated us, I thought it was you... then I met the Black Lycanthropus... - Waverly had difficulty breathing, - where are the others, why are you here? -  
\- Sara... Sara attacked us... - Wynonna made a detailed summary of what had happened during the absence of Waverly and Nicole, - the last thing I remember is the shadow that was attacking. - She ended.  
\- I don't understand anything anymore... - admitted Waverly.  
\- We'll think later to understand, now we have to find a way out of here. - Wynonna said, looking around.  
\- It's all useless... the door is made of steel... - Waverly said.  
\- Shit... - Wynonna breathed, - can you control my leg? - She said, realizing that it burned a lot.  
Waverly took the candle and approached it to Wynonna's leg, - it looks like a bite, a human bite... -   
\- Who the hell bit me?! -  
\- Maybe Sara... maybe to take your form, I know... it sounds like science fiction, but at this point everything is possible... - said Waverly.  
\- It's possible... if only I could remember something... -  
\- Nicole will save us... will find Henry and we'll leave this damn island, at the cost of swimming away. -  
\- I hope you're right... - Wynonna said hugging her sister.


	34. The message

**34**

 

 

\- Wake up. - A familiar voice.  
Nicole opened her eyes and found herself staring at Marta's round face.  
\- You? - Nicole was breathless.  
\- Come on, your friends need you. - Said the old Marta.  
\- What? Where the hell are I? - Nicole sat down, realizing she was in a room, a room in Marta's guesthouse.  
\- Miss Nicole... - Henry touched his hat.  
\- Henry, but what...? What is he doing here? - Nicole asked, laying eyes on Jeremi's brother, - you should be dead. -  
\- It's a long story, Miss Nicole, I guarantee you I will explain everything. I need to know if you can fight. -  
\- Where's Waverly and Wynonna? - She asked, alarmed.  
\- He took them... - Henry replied.  
Nicole started growling.  
\- Hey, relax, honey, you don't want to destroy my poor pension, do you? - Old Marta got her hands on her hips with an authoritarian attitude.  
\- What the hell... why are you helping me? I thought you hated me. - Nicole said, looking at Marta.  
\- You're not my passion, Nicole, but these good young men have told me many things, maybe, after all, you're not the monster. -  
Nicole didn't understand, but now, that wasn't her priority.  
\- Why didn't you go and look for them? - Nicole looked at Henry.  
\- Miss Nicole, I love my wife, and I love Waverly, but I know very well that alone I have no chance of saving them. - His tone was harsh.  
\- I'm sorry Henry, I didn't think before I spoke. - Nicole lowered her head.  
\- It's okay, I'm worried too. -   
\- Tell me what happened while I was away. - Nicole went on.  
Henry nodded and told Nicole everything, - In the end, Sara attacked us, took Wynonna and disappeared into nowhere. We couldn't do anything to stop her. We went out a second before your house collapsed on our heads, at which point we saw you, you were in your human form and you were crawling towards us. - He summarized it.  
\- I don't remember... I only remember one being who looked like Wynonna, but I'm sure it wasn't her, it was Sara; something kept me from attacking her. She threw something at me and I lost consciousness. - Nicole said.  
\- You couldn't have hit her. - Henry said.  
\- No, she was in Wynonna's shape, I could have hit her, but I... I don't think I wanted to... - Nicole looked briefly at Marta, the woman nodded.  
\- I don't understand. - Henry said, visibly puzzled.  
\- It doesn't matter, it hasn't mattered in a long time. - Marta replied.  
\- I... I didn't think that... - Nicole began, but Marta blocked her: - okay, Nicole, don't say any more. -  
Nicole nodded.  
Henry raised his arms, gave up, understood that no one wanted to explain what the two women were talking about.  
\- Marta, the radio that was in Wynonna and Henry's room, is still there? - Nicole asked, lighting up her face.  
The woman hesitated a few seconds, - I treated her a little badly, I was very angry with you... - she said.  
\- But is it still there? - Nicole was insisting.  
\- Yes, she's still there, but I don't know if it will still work. - Old Marta replied.  
\- I'm an engineer, I can try to fix it! If I can get in contact with Jeremi, maybe I can find a way out of this island. - Said Jeremi's brother.  
\- Fantastic! - Henry said.  
Screams, the screams of a familiar voice.  
Henry ran out the door, followed by Nicole, Marta and Jeremi's brother.  
\- Wynonna! - Henry screamed as he ran to hug his wife.  
Wynonna was limping a bit, but after all, she seemed to be okay.  
\- Where's Waverly? - Nicole asked, not seeing her appear.  
\- I have a message: 'In an hour, in the clearing, you know which, Fox'. He told me to tell you precisely these words. - Wynonna looked at Nicole.  
Nicole began to growl loudly. - Stay here. If by tomorrow at dawn I didn't come back with Waverly, go away, it will mean that I didn't save her and I died. - Nicole began to walk towards the stairs.  
\- Have you gone mad? - Wynonna yelled.  
\- No, I've never been healthier in my head. - Nicole said, stopping.  
\- You can't do it alone! - Wynonna insists.  
\- Miss Nicole, please, think again. -  
\- Enough! You would only have gotten in the way, you're one worse off than the other, you're human beings, this is a matter between monsters. Don't follow me or I'll break your legs. - Nicole growled.  
\- Are you kidding me? She's my sister! - Wynonna screamed.  
Nicole turned around and started walking towards Wynonna, - don't make me break your legs, Wynonna. - She growled, - what do you think you could do? Nothing, that's what. I'll put an end to it. - She said, a few inches from Wynonna's face. - If I die, I'll stop suffering. -  
Wynonna slapped Nicole's face, the woman growled but did not move a muscle, staring at Wynonna's eyes.  
\- I'd like to kiss you, beat you, maybe kill you... - Wynonna had eyes full of tears, - because I learned to love you like a sister, but at the same time I hate you, I hate you with all of myself, Waverly should never have fallen in love with you, with a creature so wrong and unfortunate, but you make her so happy, you complete her. - Wynonna began to cry.  
\- I love you too, Wynonna. - Nicole kissed Wynonna's hair. - I'll bring her back or die trying. - Nicole went down the stairs and disappeared.

 

**- <>-<>-**

 

  
It was the sound of the door that woke up Wynonna and Waverly.  
\- Stay away from us, you monster! - Threatened Wynonna, putting herself between the Black Werewolf and Waverly.  
In response, the wolf laughs.  
\- I'll erase that ugly grin off your face. -  
\- I've lost count of all the times you and your friends have blown up my plans. I'm tired of playing with you, it's time to have a family reunion. This island is too small for two wolves; you have to give a message to my daughter Nicole. -   
\- You disgust me! - Wynonna yelled.  
\- Oh, come on, Ma'am, I'm trying to be civilized. But if you want to do it your way: I'll kill you both now, I'll still get what I want. What do you say? -  
\- What do you want? - Wynonna gave up.  
He smiled, - well, you'll bring a message for me, to the city boarding house, you'll have to say these exact words, listen well: 'In an hour, to the clearing, you know which, Fox'. Is that clear? -  
\- Like the sun. - Wynonna replied.  
He laughs again.  
\- I'll come back for you, I promise. - Wynonna held Waverly in her arms and walked out the door.


	35. Father and Daughter

**35**

 

 

 

Nicole walked slowly, she wasn't in a hurry: she needed to think.  
Maybe she was going to die, probably yes. It was strange, for many years she had wanted to die, be killed by some chimera, but now, now that she had met Waverly, she wanted to live: Waverly had given meaning, to her life. Waverly had found a way to see the woman beyond the beast, no, better, Waverly saw the woman and was fascinated by the beast; Nicole had not felt loved for many years, so, at first, it was hard to believe that that girl really wanted to be near her, that she could accept and love her, just as she was.  
Nicole smiled, thinking back to the first time she had met Waverly and Wynonna: Wynonna had immediately begun to bother Nicole, while Waverly, well she was already looking at her with dreamy eyes, Nicole would never have imagined that that meeting would, forever, change her life, she had a family now.  
\- And I will protect my family. - She said, speaking to the snow.  
She also thought back to Wynonna's words "a wrong and unfortunate creature"... were words full of feelings, words of a desperate and frightened woman, but they were also the truth: Nicole knew she was wrong, but she also knew what Wynonna really meant.  
Is that what you feel? When are you afraid of dying? When did you find a reason to live? Do you think about all the details of your life?  
Nicole shook her head, she had to stay lucid. She began to run through the forest.

 

**- <>-<>-**

 

\- Do you know why you're still alive? -  
Waverly looked at the Black Werewolf with hatred.  
He laughs, - oh, come on! What is wrong with you two? Have I not been kind to you? -  
\- If kidnapping people is kind, then yes, you were really kind. - Replicated Waverly.  
\- I think we should kill her. - Sentenced Sara, holding a dagger against Waverly's throat.  
\- No, I want my daughter to be lucid, for the final confrontation. - He answered.  
\- Why are you doing this? It's your daughter, damn it! - Waverly looked at him again, with hatred.  
\- Nicole never learned gratitude. - She simply answered.  
\- Next time I will not miss the aim. - Waverly looked at the scar on the right eye of the wolf.  
He laughs, - there will be no next time. -  
\- You're right, this time we'll kill you. -  
\- You're a really nice girl, I didn't think Nicole could be gay, but she still has both reproductive parts, so... -  
Waverly started to get upset, risking to cut her throat against the blade of the dagger, - you disgust me, you filthy animal!!!! You just deserve to die, you disgust me!!! -  
\- Calm down, kid. It's science. - He laughs again.  
\- You disgust me! If only I could, I'd rip your heart out of your chest! -  
\- Yes, but you can't, now stay calm, time is almost up. -

 

**- <>-<>-**

 

  
A few more feet and Nicole would have reached the clearing. She stopped because she had smelled a familiar smell. - As I expected. - She commented and kept walking.  
Nicole entered the clearing, Waverly stood in front of Sara, she threatened her from behind with a dagger and, a few meters away, there was him.  
\- Fox. - The Lycanthropes smiled.  
\- Let her go, I'm here now. - Nicole continued to walk towards the wolf.  
The werewolf shook its head, - you have to win. I'm sick of you and your friends, I've realized that as long as you're alive, I can never leave this damn island. -  
\- She's got nothing to do with this. It's just about us. - Nicole doesn't stop, she keeps walking towards him.  
\- Nicole! - Waverly screamed she couldn't understand what Nicole was doing.  
Nicole turned to Waverly and smiled.  
\- Transform yourself and fight. - Said the Lycanthropus, when Nicole was only a few meters from him.  
The woman did not answer and continued to walk.  
\- Transformed, I told you! - He ordered.  
Nicole shook her head sadly and let herself fall on her knees. - Kill me, father. - She said, looking him in the eyes.  
\- Nicole!!! - Waverly screamed, desperate.  
\- Don't make fun of me! - The wolf yelled, hitting Nicole's face with one paw, - get up and face me! -  
Nicole spat the blood in her mouth and knelt in front him again, - before I die, I want to know one thing. -  
The werewolf was trembling with anger, - I told you to get up! -  
\- I want to know if you ever loved me. - Nicole said, looking at the Lycanthropes.  
\- What are you doing, Nicole? - Waverly was trying to free herself from Sara's grip.  
\- Get up and face me, I won't let you do this! -  
\- Why don't you answer me? - A tear came down from Nicole's human eye.  
\- If you don't get up immediately I'll kill you, you'll die without glory, Nicole! - The werewolf threatened her.  
\- I just want you to let her go, then you can do whatever you want with me. - Nicole answered.  
\- Have you gone mad or what? - The Lycanthropes asked.  
\- No, I'm just tired, damn tired... I give up. - Nicole answered.  
\- Nicole??! - Waverly kept screaming desperately.  
\- You're a shame, Nicole. -  
Those words went through Nicole's heart, - I'm begging you, don't you see? Let her go and do with me what you want. -  
The werewolf shook his head.  
\- Kill her first, then, I can't tolerate her seeing me die. - Nicole said.  
\- Stop it, Nicole! React, please, do something! - Waverly couldn't believe it was over.  
\- No, you don't deserve this, I'll kill you first and she'll watch you die with dishonor. - Sentenced the werewolf.  
\- Let me smell you, just one last time. - Nicole stood up and began to move towards the Lycanthropus; he remained motionless, completely surprised by his daughter's behavior.  
Nicole embraced the huge animal, - here it started and here it will end, father. - Said Nicole, smelling the smell of his fur, - goodbye. - Nicole took the dagger out of the back pocket of her jeans and stuck it in the heart of the Black Werewolf.  
Sara screamed of despair, she was about to cut Waverly's throat, but on her forehead, drew a bullet hole.  
\- You were good, Nicole, you tricked me... - the Licantropo groaned, regaining his human appearance.  
\- You remember father, that time, right here, in this clearing, you said to me: "if you can't be strong, be smart." Nicole cried, while her father died in her arms.  
\- Nicole! - Waverly ran to Nicole, - I was so scared, Nicole! -  
\- I know, baby, but it's over now, it's really over. - Nicole said, taking Waverly in her arms.


	36. Good bye, Nevesplendida...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, mamma mia...! Here is the last chapter of this part, but not of this story. Don't forget to read the final notes, see you later :)

**36**

 

 

\- Kill her first?! - Wynonna ran, limping, to Nicole and Waverly.  
\- Wynonna... - Nicole sighed, - do you think I hadn't noticed that you were following me? You stink and he, - she looked at Henry, - you stink of cigars. The original plan was to fight him, but probably I would lose, luckily you are really a stubborn woman and you have a good aim. -  
\- For a moment, I thought you'd really given up. - Wynonna said, hugging Waverly. - You took a big risk, he almost killed you both! -  
\- I don't think he would really kill me, he wanted me to defend myself, maybe he wanted me to kill him, but I couldn't risk it, I had to be close enough to him to stab him in the heart. - Nicole turned to the man lying in the snow. - In any case, if it hadn't been for you, he would have died, but also Waverly: I wouldn't have been able to save her alone. -  
\- Next time you'll think about it three times before you threaten my legs! - Wynonna said, looking badly at Nicole.  
\- Your legs? - Waverly looked at Nicole and then at Wynonna.  
\- We probably weren't alone, I have every reason to suspect that someone else was listening to me. I knew you wouldn't listen to me, in fact, you followed me all the time. -  
\- Who could listen to us? - Wynonna asked.  
Nicole shook her head, - Sara... maybe the old Marta... -  
\- What's it got to do with Marta? - Waverly asked, perplexed.  
\- It's a long story, Waverly, really a long story. - Nicole answered.  
\- So you only relied on luck? To save my sister?! - Wynonna took a few steps towards Nicole, with a threatening air.  
\- Not only luck, Wynonna, especially smartness. - Nicole made a cute smile.  
\- No matter how Nicole: saved us once again. - Waverly went to hug Nicole.  
\- Did you know who Sara was? - Henry lit up a cigar.  
Nicole stiffened, - at some point yes, only when I realized it was a shape-shifter... -  
\- But if you knew Sara, why didn't you recognize her before? - Wynonna asked.  
Nicole hesitated for a few seconds, - maybe I didn't want to believe it, maybe I wanted to deny reality; her smell had something different, but I thought... I don't know what I thought... -  
\- It doesn't matter now, it's over, we're all together and no one will ever separate us again. - Waverly said.  
\- Let's go. - Wynonna said.  
\- Just give me a moment, I want to say goodbye... - Nicole said, turning to the black wolf.  
The three nodded and went a few feet away to leave Nicole a bit of privacy.  
Nicole knelt in front of the lifeless body, - in the end, I'll never know if you've ever loved me. But I did, before you did everything you did to me, I loved you. But now, for you, there is only hatred in my heart. It hurts me to hate you, but you destroyed my life, we could have been happy, you and I and mom... you destroyed everything... I grew up without love, without a family... I wish I could forgive you so much, I wish I could do it for myself, but I can't, I can't forgive you... I'll carry this weight up to the rest of my days, this is your legacy: hatred.   
Goodbye, Father. - Nicole slipped her hand over her father's eyes, closed forever.   
\- Let's get out of here. - Nicole joined her family, - but be careful, the forest is always full of chimeras, this hasn't changed and maybe it will never change. -  
\- Nicole...? - Waverly took Nicole's hand, the woman turned to her, - yes? -  
\- Are you okay? -  
\- I'll be fine, Waves... How about one last run? - Nicole asked, starting to undress.  
\- Well, I'd say that would be great, especially for my leg, and then, I've never ridden a wolf. - Wynonna replied.  
\- Are you sure, Miss Nicole? Can you take us all? - Henry took off his hat.  
\- I could take a hundred of you. - Nicole smiled, handing over her clothes to Waverly.  
The huge, beautiful red wolf fell down so that the three could climb on her back and began to run through the forest.

 

**- <>-<>-**

 

They were all reunited in Wynonna and Henry's room.  
\- I hope you will accept my apology, Nicole Haught. - Dolls said, offering Nicole a hand.  
Nicole looked at the man's hand for a few seconds, - well, it wasn't all your fault, so yes, I'll accept your apology. - Nicole shook his hand.  
\- The black badge wanted to do business with that madman, some of his research was also done on some of us, just for that we managed to survive the crash of the plane. - Dolls said.  
\- I know, your smell is not that of a normal human being, you smell like a damp lizard. - Nicole said.  
\- I'm happy to smell like that or you would have eaten me during the full moon. - Dolls answered.  
\- I don't smell anything... - said, Waverly.  
\- Better that way. - Dolls smiled.  
\- But I still don't know what happened after the plane crashed. - Nicole said, sitting on the bed, she wanted to hear the story.  
\- As you now know, I let you voluntarily transform to bring down the plane, it had to look like an accident and we wanted to destroy the plane so that the madman could not use it to leave the island. I unloaded the two crates, with the two boys inside, as they had ordered me to do.  
We took refuge in this guesthouse for some time, then one of our radars signaled the arrival of a flying vehicle: you.  
We found your helicopter and took all the fuel, we decided not to destroy it even if the scientist knew you were coming. But it was a chance to leave the island. We kept an eye on you for a few days, then we saw that the cowboy was carrying you to the helicopter, we stayed at a distance so that you couldn't smell us. The cowboy left the keys attached to the plane, probably distracted by the fact that you were recovered; we took the keys, we were about to return here, to the pension, but three chimeras attacked us. We spent time in the forest, hidden, eventually, we managed to get to your house and ask the group for help. - Dolls said.  
\- It's true, I left the keys on the panel, I was so happy that Miss Nicole had recovered that I forgot everything else... - Doc confirmed the version of Dolls.  
\- Why did you decide to rebel against the black badge? - Nicole asks.  
\- I found out that they wanted to take the scientist off the island, I couldn't allow it. - Dolls shook his head.  
\- I understand... - Nicole nodded.  
\- Did you manage to fix the radio? ... uh... I don't know your name... - Nicole asked Jeremi's brother.  
\- It's Jeremya, they're almost there, there are few passes missing. - He answered.   
\- So you're gonna contact someone to get us picked up? - Wynonna asked.  
\- No, it won't be necessary to bring someone here, we'll be the ones to leave. - Jeremya replied.  
\- But the keys are destroyed, even if we find some carburetors... - Doc said.  
\- I lied, the keys are here. - He said, extracting the keys from a pocket, - that thing had to believe that there was no way to leave the island. - He laughs.  
\- Misery... - Henry, Wynonna and Waverly laugh.  
\- Then why do you contact the outside? - Nicole asked.  
\- I want to corrupt the black badge: I will fund new research with the promise that they will leave us alone and disappear. - He replied.  
\- Not bad... - Nicole nodded.  
\- And fuel? - Waverly asked.  
\- I hid the canisters in the basement of this pension. -  
\- I'll come back soon. I have to say a few words to old Marta. - Nicole said, standing up and going out the door.  
\- I have to talk to you, Wynonna, can you go out with me for a moment? - Waverly asked.  
Wynonna nodded, perplexed.

 

**- <>-<>-**

 

  
\- So here we go, are we about to leave Nevesplendida? - Wynonna asked while Dolls and Henry filled the tank.  
\- Isn't old Marta coming? - Waverly asked Nicole.  
The woman shook her head, - her family is here. -  
Waverly looked at her: she didn't understand. Old Marta was alone. She decided not to ask for anything else for the moment.  
\- I can't believe we're really leaving the island... - said Henry, - I might miss this place... -  
Everyone turned to him.  
\- It's a joke! - He laughs.  
Everyone laughs.

 

**- <>-<>-**

 

  
**A week later, Earp's estate...**

 

\- Hello, empty head. - Wynonna enters Nicole and Waverly's room, followed by her sister.  
\- What's going on? - Nicole gets out of bed, alarmed.  
\- I think Waverly has something to tell you. - Wynonna's face is impossible to decipher.  
\- Are you okay? - Nicole looks at Waverly, the girl seems embarrassed.  
\- Yes, I just have to tell you this... but I don't know how to do it... - she answers without looking at Nicole.  
\- Be careful what you say or do, Nicole, I still have silver bullets. - Wynonna says.  
Nicole looks at her with her eyes wide open.  
\- Wynonna! - Waverly yells at her.  
\- Waverly... what's going on? - Nicole doesn't know what to think.  
\- I... - but she can't go on.  
Nicole is approaching Waverly, - baby...? -  
\- I'm... I have a delay... - Waverly whispers.  
Nicole stops breathing.  
\- I think... yes, I'm almost sure I'm pregnant... - Waverly doesn't have the courage to look at Nicole.  
Nicole lets herself fall on her knees.  
\- I'm sorry, Nicole... I.... - Waverly is worried about Nicole's reaction.  
Wynonna touches her gun with her fingertips.  
\- Am I going to be a mom...? - Nicole lifts her head, she's crying.  
\- Oh, thank God... - Wynonna is relaxing.  
Waverly takes Nicole's face in her hands, - yes... are you angry? -  
\- Angry? I am the happiest woman on earth! - Nicole stands up, she laughs, cries all together, lifts Waverly off the floor and holds her in her arms, - will I be a mom!? - She cries with joy.  
Waverly laughs while Nicole holds her in her arms.  
\- Hey... I'm going to be an aunt! - Exclaims Wynonna.  
\- Come here, you too! - Nicole draws Wynonna towards herself and hugs her, with her arm free.  
\- Have you thought of a name yet? - Asks Nicole, letting Waverly and Wynonna go.  
\- Actually, no, but if it was a boy I'd like to call him Antonio: it's an Italian name if she was a girl... was that your mother's name? - Waverly looks at Nicole.  
\- Amy... - Nicole answers.

 

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys,  
> please let me know if you like the story.  
> This is not the last part of the story, there will be "The forest of Horror 3"! Nicole's past and other things I've never explained :)  
> Thank you all for the support and kindness with which you supported my project <3  
> See you soon!


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